Andrei Babitsky of RFE/RL, one of the few journalists to have met and interviewed Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev, says his death may weaken the Chechen separatist movement, but will not kill it.

Russian analyst Andrei A. Piontkovsky says the next U.S. president could face a more conciliatory policy from the Kremlin and new Russian President Dmitri Medvedev.

CFR’s Stephen R. Sestanovich says the Obama administration believes it has put relations with Russia on "a more practical" basis but convergence remains elusive on how to address Iran’s nuclear progr…

Mideast expert David Makovsky says the widening conflict in the Middle East poses a huge challenge for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and tests the viability of the Lebanese government.