While many in the West perceive Vladimir Putin as an unrestrained strongman, expert Kimberly Marten says that the Russian president is deftly managing disparate factions surrounding the Kremlin.

The history of frozen conflicts in some of Russia’s neighboring areas signals trouble for Ukraine’s efforts to reintegrate its secessionist regions, says expert Charles E. King.

Ukraine may be heading for the type of frozen conflict that occurred in Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Moldova immediately after the breakup of the Soviet Union, says CFR’s Stephen Sestanovich.

The crisis in Crimea may represent something more than just another low point in Moscow’s relations with the United States and its allies, says Russia expert John R. Beyrle.

With the annexation of Crimea and rhetoric about protecting Russians in the near abroad, President Vladimir Putin has helped launch a new stage of relations that poses threats to Russia’s neighbors a…