How to Understand Putin’s Russia

by Michael Kimmage

Many Russia observers focus on the post-Soviet state’s grip on society but often miss its popular foundation—and how elements of Russian society enabled Putin’s rise.

by Michael McFaul

As long as Putin remains in power, changing Russia from the outside will be close to impossible. Washington’s strategy needs to recognize this reality.

by Stephen Kotkin

For centuries, Russia has held geopolitical ambitions that exceed its capabilities. President Vladimir Putin’s attempts to secure Moscow a prominent place on the world stage follow this historical pattern.

by John J. Mearsheimer

Having spent decades pushing east into Russia’s natural sphere of interest, Washington and its European allies share much of the responsibility for the Ukraine crisis.

by Emma Ashford

In the United States, confrontational rhetoric and policies toward Russia—coming from both sides of the aisle—often ignore reality and preclude a more productive approach.

by Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan

If the Kremlin wishes to move past Russia’s tsarist and Soviet history, it will have to rein in the seemingly untrammeled power of the country’s security services.