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Conference "U.S.-Russian Relations: The Way Forward" will be held on September 11, 2008 from 11 AM to 2 PM at the Russian Academy of Sciences. To register please send e-mail to: Russia@RussiaHouse.org

Business

Russia's new revolution

"The Independent"

It has been a very good year to be Russian. The national football team sparkled at Euro 2008, it secured the unrivalled musical accolade of winning the Eurovision Song Contest, and while the markets around the world disintegrate, its own economy has continued to boom.

Russia’s revival looks unstoppable

"The Financial Times"

In 1998, a swing in commodity prices had Russia’s economy reeling. Exacerbated by the ongoing global recession, the value of the country’s energy and metals exports slumped as Asian growth slowed. Ten years on, and with another global recession on the horizon, Russia’s markets are in rude health.

EU’s energy plans prompt Moscow fears

"The Financial Times"

Gazprom and other non-European Union businesses will be able to control energy network assets in the EU only if they meet tough conditions under proposals set out on Wednesday. The move by the European Commission drew a sharp reaction in Moscow, amid concerns that Gazprom, the Russian-state controlled energy company and the leading gas supplier to the union, could face restrictions on its EU expansion plans.

Book Review

“Walking on ice. An American businessmen in Russia”

Based on over sixteen years of successful business in the evolving new Russia, Fred Andresen has written a book that is mandatory for all who plan to work there, make a serious visit, or just curious. Written with insight, understanding, and a rare degree of humor, he tells us about working with and enjoying the Russians.

Issue in the light

How to electrify the world

Stanley A. WEISS

The author is founding chairman of Business Executives for National Security, a nonpartisan organization based in Washington

Despite their differences, Barack Obama and John McCain agree on one thing. Obama tells Americans he will "restore our standing in the world." McCain says he'll ensure "the credibility and the moral standing of America in the world." But how?

A war waiting to happen

F. William ENGDAHL

independent political analyst, USA

The Caucasus Republic of Georgia, as nations go, is not apparently a major global player. Yet Washington has invested huge sums and organized to put its own despot, Mikhail Saakashvili, in the presidency in order to close a nuclear North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) iron ring around Russia. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited the capital Tbilisi and made sharp statements against Moscow for supporting the separatist Georgian states of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, in essence blaming Moscow for an imminent war Washington has incited in order to bring Georgia into NATO by the December NATO summit.

McCain's bad G-8 judgment call regarding Russia

Madeleine ALBRIGHT

a former U.S. Secretary of State

William J. Perry

This week's Group of 8 meeting in Japan raises some important questions about Sen. John McCain's approach to the art of diplomacy. McCain has suggested that Russia be kicked out of the G-8 because of its government's retreat from democracy in recent years. This is the kind of proposal one might expect from a party candidate seeking to differentiate himself from the policies of an unpopular predecessor. It is not, however, a good idea.

Geopolitics

Not Bush came out as a winner in Bucharest -- rather Putin did

Matthew KAMINSKI

editorial page editor of The Wall Street Journal Europe

George W. Bush had pushed for the world's premier military alliance to crack open its doors to Georgia and Ukraine. His inability to get NATO to stand up to Russia (and its enabler – Germany) tarnishes his one indubitably positive legacy in Europe.

Cold War Chill in McCain Remarks on Russia

Mr. McCain, an Arizona Republican, struck a conciliatory tone during his foreign policy speech in Los Angeles on Wednesday, outlining a set of international principles in which an America under his guidance would abandon President Bush’s go-it-alone approach and make nice with its allies. “Recall the words of our founders in the Declaration of Independence, that we pay ‘decent respect to the opinions of mankind,’ ” Mr. McCain said. “Our great power does not mean we can do whatever we want whenever we want, nor should we assume we have all the wisdom and knowledge necessary to succeed.”

Smoking Guns and Mushroom Clouds

Martin WALKER

senior director of the Global Business Policy Council

It is a reasonable assumption that three nuclear powers, the United States, India and Israel, have prepared a variety of more or less robust contingency plans to neutralize Ptakistan’s nuclear arsenal of some 40 or so warheads, should Islamist militants appear to threaten the regime of President Pervez Musharraf. There have been ominous signs that other Middle Eastern states, including Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, are considering their own nuclear options as they contemplate a future that may feature a nuclear-armed Iran.

Security

The Surge Worked

John McCAIN

Republican senator from Arizona

Joe Lieberman, Independent Democratic senator from Connecticut

"The Wall Street Journal"

It was exactly one year ago tonight, in a televised address to the nation, that President George W. Bush announced his fateful decision to change course in Iraq, and to send five additional U.S. combat brigades there as part of a new counterinsurgency strategy and under the command of a new general, David Petraeus. At the time of its announcement, the so-called surge was met with deep skepticism by many Americans -- and understandably so.

The United States offers Russia a deal that's hard to refuse

Duma Speaker Boris Gryzlov said yesterday that all Duma factions intend to support the CFE Treaty moratorium. In effect, this vote in the Duma won't have any legal consequences, since the CFE Treaty's wording on withdrawal procedures is somewhat vague. However, international law specialists agree that Moscow can withdraw from the CFE Treaty if it gives its partners 150 days' notice. Those 150 days (since President Putin's decree was issued) expire in a month's time, on December 12, so the Duma's vote on the
CFE Treaty bill will be Russia's final warning to the West - and a reminder that Moscow isn't joking.

U.S. and Russia seek to rescue arms treaty

Judy DEMPSEY

analyst, IHT

U.S. and Russian diplomats are holding crucial talks in Geneva to try to rescue a key European arms control accord that Russia's lower house of Parliament voted Wednesday to suspend. In the 418-to-0 vote, the Duma approved legislation to abandon its obligations under the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty, which has been considered a cornerstone of European security in the post-Cold War period.

Young Voices

US-Russia: how to renew a contstructive dialogue

Eugenia BABICH

American university in Moscow

Present day Russia and what it was in the 1990s have recently been thoroughly compared. And until the last few years Russia’s public opinion was likely to criticize the first period of post-Soviet existence and praise the present state of affaires. Now we often come across such ideas that there were some positive moments (who would have thought?) during the Lihie 90s in Russia, what used to occupy a central position but now have been driven away from the main scene.

Why is Russia losing the West?

Maria KISELEVA

student, Journalism studies, Moscow Lomonosov University

They say, that Russia is losing the West. That Russia suffers from the absence of friends among other countries. They say that it's a problem. I don't really think, that the problem of "loosing the West" is a business of one man, of one russian politician. The grounds are different, and it's silly to think, that once someone pushed the button - and at once we became a lot of enemies and we lost the West.

Putin after Putin. Why not?

Olga PERVUSHINA

student, Journalism studies, Moscow Lomonosov University

This question does really worry Russian people. Maybe at first sight it's unlikely to say whether our civilians are interested in politics or not. Why? Because of the part we played in this life. Every time something happens in Russian politics’ world, we learn it from TV news or newspapers. Nobody ever asks us about our opinion. Then how can we suppose the future of our country?

Face of the day