Text resize: A A
Change contrast

A reality check for the realists

Putin’s behaviour is not just an inevitable consequence of the fact that Russia is a great power – it is a combination of post-Cold War historical grievances and a zero-sum conception of the world that positions Russia in permanent opposition to the West.

During the third US presidential debate in 2012, then President Barack Obama mocked his opponent, Governor Mitt Romney, for a remark he had made several months earlier: “When you were asked what is the biggest geopolitical threat facing America, you said Russia. Not al-Qaeda – you said Russia. The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because the Cold War has been over for 20 years.” This joke got a lot of traction among Democrats who cited Romney’s comment about Russia as evidence that he was clueless about the modern challenges the United States faces around the world.
To access this content, you must subscribe to NEE, or log in if you are a subscriber. Not a subscriber? Why not try it out. Plans start at just €5 per month.

July 7, 2020 - Matt Johnson - Hot TopicsIssue 4 2020Magazine

The Victory Parade in Moscow in 2019. Photo: website of the President of Russia (CC) http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/60490

, , ,

Partners

Terms of Use | Cookie policy | Copyryight 2023 Kolegium Europy Wschodniej im. Jana Nowaka-Jeziorańskiego 31-153 Kraków
Agencja digital: hauerpower studio krakow.