Russian President Putin, mistrustful of Western motives, is likely to resist pressure to commit to stronger sanctions against Syria’s government, says expert Dimitri Simes.

Mistrust between Western powers and Russia rivals the worst days of the Cold War, raising the dangerous prospect of escalating tensions between the two sides, says expert Dimitri Simes.

Former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, just pardoned after ten years in prison, is unlikely to challenge Putin at the ballot box, but don’t rule out a role for him in Russia’s political opposition, …