Russia and Eurasia - Audio

Disputes over the regional order in post-Soviet Europe and Eurasia are at the core of the breakdown in Russia-West relations, and have created major security and economic challenges for the states caught in between: first and foremost Ukraine, but also Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Current policy approaches toward the regional order—i.e., the set of rules, norms, and institutions that govern the region—have exacerbated today’s disorder and instability. The authors of a new report offer a comprehensive proposal for revising the regional order. The proposal, which addresses the security architecture, economic integration, and regional conflicts, was devised by four groups of experts convened by the RAND Corporation and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung’s Regional Office for Cooperation and Peace in Europe. Each group included representatives from the West, Russia, and the states in between. This event is made possible by the generous support of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

Russian natural gas exports are once again high on the agenda. Russia is completing two new pipelines to Europe, just inaugurated a new gas pipeline to China, and is boosting its presence in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) market. All this is happening as the outlook for gas in Europe is being upended by new supplies and routes, by new rules and regulations, and by an ambitious decarbonization agenda that will reshape the role of gas in the European energy system, and thus the relationship with Russia. The Europe-Russia relationship has always had a political and geopolitical dimension, ever since the Soviet Union first supplied gas to Western Europe in the late 1960s. “Yet to boil down the subject of Russian-European gas relations to geopolitics is to miss a large part of the story,” writes Thane Gustafson, a professor of government at Georgetown University and a Senior Director at IHS Markit, in his new book The Bridge: Natural Gas in a Redivided Europe (Harvard University Press, 2020). He continues to say: “The gas revolution in Europe has deep roots, which originated quite independently of Russia, and are only distantly related to geopolitics.” This event is made possible through general support to CSIS.

Three decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, many in Washington foresee a new Cold War between the United States and China. The comparison to the U.S.-Soviet confrontation enjoys remarkable currency and durability in contemporary debate. For those who fear worsening relations and an insecurity spiral, the Cold War is a warning. For those more concerned about China’s rising economic and military power, authoritarian system, and global ambitions, it is a rallying cry and textbook for lessons. All acknowledge that the world will not replay the Cold War in all of its specifics, but perhaps the United States is facing a cold war.   Rarely does policy debate include careful historical analysis before deploying history. Is the comparison between the Cold War and today’s US-China competition the right historical prism? What are the similarities between then and now that might yield usable lessons for today’s competition? If it is a bad analogy, then how much damage is it doing to U.S. statecraft? Does the comparison inhibit our ability to understand current dynamics and stymie efforts to develop a better strategy? Are we trapped by the analogy merely because it is familiar? Can we find better historical comparisons that could shed light on today’s U.S.-China dynamics?   What would a Cold War historian say to policymakers if asked to answer these questions? CSIS invites you to join the Project on History and Strategy for a discussion with Dr. Melvyn Leffler, a leading historian of the Cold War, Dr. Francis Gavin, leading historian of nuclear policy and Director of the Henry Kissinger Center for Global Affairs, and Jude Blanchette, Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS. Drawing on decades of scholarship, they will analyze the merits and pitfalls of using the Cold War comparison for China from the historian’s perspective.   This event is made possible through general support from CSIS.

Tatiana Mitrova (Director of the SKOLKOVO Energy Center in Moscow) joins Nikos Tsafos (CSIS Energy Program) to discuss the outlook for the Russian energy sector. They talk about the outlook for oil and gas, the impact of oil prices and of sanctions on the Russian energy economy, and touch on Russia’s perception of climate change.

In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Anthony Bowyer, Programmatic and Research Advisor, Europe and Eurasia at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES). They discuss President Mirziyoyev’s reform program in Uzbekistan and how the country has changed, including its parties and elections, and what has remained constant. You can find Anthony Bowyer’s bio here: https://www.ifes.org/people/anthony-bowyer. You can read his paper “Political Reform in Mirziyoyev's Uzbekistan: Elections, Political Parties and Civil Society” here: https://www.silkroadstudies.org/publications/silkroad-papers-and-monographs/item/13284-political-reform-in-mirziyoyevs-uzbekistan-elections-political-parties-and-civil-society.html We want more mail! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.  

In this episode, Bob and Andrew sit down with Melissa Dalton, deputy director of the CSIS International Security Program and director of the Cooperative Defense Project. Melissa discusses the current situation of the ongoing conflict in Syria and the sudden withdrawal of U.S. forces there, while analyzing Russia's role, potential U.S. strategy, and the state of Turkey's relationship with the U.S. Download the full transcript here.

In this episode, Bob and Andrew sit down with Melissa Dalton, deputy director of the CSIS International Security Program and director of the Cooperative Defense Project. Melissa discusses the current situation of the ongoing conflict in Syria and the sudden withdrawal of U.S. forces there, while analyzing Russia's role, potential U.S. strategy, and the state of Turkey's relationship with the U.S. Download the full transcript here.

In this special joint episode of Russian Roulette and Take as Directed, Jeff is joined by J. Stephen Morrison, the Senior Vice President and Director of the CSIS Global Health Policy Center, and Judy Twigg, Professor of Political Science at Virginia Commonwealth University and a Senior Associate with the CSIS Russia and Eurasia Program. They discuss Stephen and Judy’s recent report “Putin and Global Health: Friend or Foe?” which outlines their recommendations for expanding U.S. engagement to promote health security and counter Russian influence in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.   The report is available at: https://www.csis.org/analysis/putin-and-global-health-friend-or-foe   You can find Stephen Morrison’s bio here: https://www.csis.org/people/j-stephen-morrison and his twitter is @MorrisonCSIS   Judith Twigg’s bio is at: https://politicalscience.vcu.edu/people/faculty/twigg.html, and her twitter handle is @jtwigg9   Consider subscribing to Global Health Center’s podcast Take as Directed at: https://www.csis.org/podcasts/take-directed.   You can also follow the Global Health Center on Twitter: @CSISHealth   We want more mail! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you!    

In the last decade, Russia has increased its global engagement, while at the same time pursuing policies at home that are giving rise to HIV/AIDS and drug-resistant tuberculosis epidemics that are a risk for its own populations, as well as its neighbors. These developments have unfolded against a backdrop of highly malevolent Russian behavior across many fronts that has resulted in the imposition of extensive sanctions. In this special joint episode of Take as Directed and Russian Roulette, J. Stephen Morrison sits down with Jeff Mankoff, Acting Director of the CSIS Russia and Eurasia Program; and Judyth Twigg, Professor of Political Science at Virginia Commonwealth University and a Senior Associate with the CSIS Russia and Eurasia Program. The three discuss their recent analysis, “Putin and Global Health: Friend or Foe?” which outlines an opportunity to expand U.S. engagement to promote health security and counter Russian influence in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Hilary Appel, the Podlich Family Professor of Government and George R. Roberts Fellow at Claremont McKenna College in California. They discuss her memo “Are Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin Partners? Interpreting The Russia-China Rapprochement,” as well as the reinterpretation of Chinese investment as a ‘debt trap.’ You can find Hilary Appel’s bio here: https://www.cmc.edu/academic/faculty/profile/hilary-appel Her memo is here: http://www.ponarseurasia.org/memo/are-xi-jinping-and-vladimir-putin-partners-interpreting-russia-china-rapprochement The “China’s Rise in Eurasia” event where Dr. Appel discusses her memo is on our website: https://www.csis.org/events/chinas-rise-eurasia Keep an eye out on the PONARS website to read Dr. Elizabeth Wishnick’s memo on the two leaders as well here: http://www.ponarseurasia.org/ We want more mail! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.  

China’s rise in the Indo-Pacific is discussed often but what about its growing influence in Eurasia? What political and economic roles does China play in the region and what are the implications? Please join CSIS and George Washington University’s Program on New Approaches to Research and Security in Eurasia (PONARS Eurasia) for a two panel event focused on China’s expanding role in Eurasia. Agenda 1:15 pm   Opening Remarks Jeffrey Mankoff, Senior Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Program, CSIS 1:30-3:00 pm   Seminar One: The China Factor in Eurasia Moderator Jeffrey Mankoff, Senior Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Program, CSIS Panelists Hilary Appel, Claremont McKenna College “Are Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin Partners? Interpreting The Russia-China Rapprochement” Elizabeth Wishnick, Montclair State University “Putin and Xi: Ice Cream Buddies and Tandem Strongmen” Stephen Kaplan, George Washington University “Chinese and Russian Creditors in Venezuela: Oil Collapse and Political Survival” Discussant Jonathan Hillman, Senior Fellow, Simon Chair in Political Economy, and Director, Reconnecting Asia Project, CSIS   Coffee Break   3:00-3:15 pm   3:15 to 4:45 pm   Seminar Two: China’s Growing Role in Central Asia and the South Caucasus Moderator Henry Hale, George Washington University Panelists Eric McGlinchey, George Mason University “Questioning Sinophobia in Central Asia” Sebastien Peyrouse, George Washington University  “On the Road to Failure? The Challenges of China’s Soft Power Policy in Central Asia (And Beyond)” Anar Valiyev, ADA University, Baku “Azerbaijan Through The Prism of OBOR: Chinese Interests in the Region” Discussant Mariya Omelicheva, Professor of National Security Strategy, National Defense University This event was made possible through general support to CSIS.  

In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Rachel Ellehuus, deputy director and senior fellow with the Europe Program at CSIS. They discuss the European reaction to the lapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, the effect of the demise on NATO’s strategy, and the prospects for the new START agreement. Rachel Ellehuus’s recent piece “A NATO Strategy for a Post-INF World” is here: https://www.csis.org/analysis/nato-strategy-post-inf-world We want more mail! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Rachel Ellehuus, deputy director and senior fellow with the Europe Program at CSIS. They discuss the European reaction to the lapse of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, the effect of the demise on NATO’s strategy, and the prospects for the new START agreement. You can find Rachel Ellehuus’s bio here: https://www.csis.org/people/rachel-ellehuus Her recent piece “A NATO Strategy for a Post-INF World” is here: https://www.csis.org/analysis/nato-strategy-post-inf-world We want more mail! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with…well, himself, to talk about the Moscow protests and what they may mean for Russia and for the Kremlin. He also answers mailbag questions, including on the differences between U.S. and Russian ideologies and the role of nationality and history in the countries sandwiched between the West and Russia. We want more mail! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.  

In this episode of Russian Roulette, Jeff sits down with Dmitry Suslov, who is Deputy Director, Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. They discuss the Trump-Putin meeting in Osaka, strategic stability, competing U.S. and Russian views of international order, and much else besides. You can find Dmitry Suslov’s bio here: https://www.hse.ru/en/org/persons/1165509 You can find the video of his recent public presentation at CSIS here: https://www.csis.org/events/prospects-us-russia-relations-perspective-moscow We want more mail! If you would like to have your question answered on the podcast, send it to us! Email rep@csis.org and put “Russian Roulette” in the subject line. And, if you have one, include your Twitter handle, so we can notify you publicly when we answer your question (or, if you don’t want us to, tell us that). We look forward to hearing from you.

Since the widening of Russia's rift with the West in 2014, relations between Russia and China have entered a new stage, characterized by a more robust political, military and economic cooperation. In spite of a number of problems and asymmetries in bilateral relations, the two states’ interdependence has been growing against the background of mounting tensions with Washington. Are the two countries moving closer to an alliance? What has been the balance between political, military and economic cooperation, and what challenges have emerged? What are the driving factors behind Russia's position on China's Belt and Road Initiative and what is the logic of the Greater Eurasian Partnership? Where do Russia's interests in Asia converge and diverge with those of China and what are the implications? Is there room for U.S.-Russia cooperation in Asia and what would that look like? This event is made possible by Carnegie Corporation of New York.

On April 23, 2019, the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies will be hosting a discussion on pre-existing and emerging threats to U.S. space systems. The event will kickoff with a keynote from Steve Kitay, DASD for Space Policy. Following Mr. Kitay's remarks, an expert panel will discuss recent global counterspace developments. This event highlights the Aerospace Security Project’s new report, Space Threat Assessment 2019, and the Secure World Foundation’s new report, Global Counterspace Capabilities. Following the discussion, please join us for a screening of a new documentary, Commanding Space: The Story Behind the Space Force, produced by the CSIS Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab. To celebrate the launch of both the new report and the documentary, we invite you to stay after the screening for a networking reception. This event is made possible through general support to CSIS. 

“The Kremlin Playbook 2” report demonstrates that some countries facilitate or enable the type of Russian malign economic influence that was uncovered in the first Kremlin Playbook report. On this episode, Heather A. Conley (CSIS), Donatienne Ruy (CSIS), and Martin Vladimirov (Center for the Study of Democracy) take listeners behind the scenes and discuss the creation of The Kremlin Playbook series. They present key takeaways and biggest surprises, the requirements of such a study, and the way forward for this research.

Following decades of confrontation between Washington and Pyongyang, chances for at least a partial normalization appeared to increase last year. However, two summits between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump failed to produce substantive policy changes on either side, and mutual distrust remains high. What are the main factors preventing the two countries from achieving a lasting agreement? Is continued bilateral dialogue useful? What are the positions and goals of the parties concerned? Is normalization U.S.-North Korea relations even possible? What role can third parties, such as China and Russia, play in U.S.-North Korean diplomacy?   Please join us as Anastasia Barannikova, a visiting fellow with the Russia and Eurasia Program at CSIS, provides a view from Vladivostok on these questions and others. The Russian Visiting Fellows Program at CSIS is made possible by the generous support of Carnegie Corporation of New York.

At a time of unprecedented tension in U.S.-Russia relations, understanding why the two countries pursue conflicting foreign policies requires not just a close reading of their political institutions and security environments, but of how the two publics perceive each other and the world. Is Russia more or less respected than it was five years ago? Should the U.S. cooperate with or contain Russia? Are sanctions against Russia working? Do Americans want arms control? Is Russia a threat to U.S. national security? Is America the biggest threat posed to Russia? Please join us for a presentation of the findings from a new binational study of American and Russian public opinion conducted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Levada Analytical Center. Researchers from the Council and Levada will discuss and provide context for public perceptions of Russia’s return to prominence on the world stage, interference in the 2016 U.S. Presidential election, the crisis in Ukraine, and the possibility of a new arms race. This event is made possible by the generous support of Carnegie Corporation of New York.