OpEdNews - RSS Feed for Author: Nicolai N. Petro

Europe needs Russia and Ukraine together

Western strategies toward Ukraine rest on the false premise that Ukrainians and Russians are antagonistic cultures. Pitting one against each other, however, has only served to undermine Ukrainian nation-building efforts. This rift in Ukrainian society will not be healed until the country's elites acknowledge the populace's deep sympathy and affinity for Russia, and realize that they need to work together.

"Prisoners of the Caucasus unite"

U.S. and Russian leaders may not see it, but they are in a similar bind. The only way out is for them to work together on a comprehensive settlement for the region. Failure to do so may or may not lead to direct confrontation with Russia, but will surely lead to America getting entangled in the passions of the Caucasus, like the Ottoman, Persian and Russian empires before it.

Mr. Levy and the Magic Media

It is nice to know that some foreign correspondents in Russia read the local press. That way they can eventually pick up stories that were covered months ago and present them as something novel that they discovered on their own.

Should Moscow Root for Obama?

When it comes to Russia, the differences among the U.S. presidential candidates are so minimal as to be indistinguishable. The initiative for change, it seems, will have to come from Russia.

Russian Elections - Affirming Democracy or Confirming Autocracy?

The most serious complaint against the Russian election is not with the process, but with the outcome. For many Western observers the Russian people simply made the wrong choice by voting for Medvedev, and that is reason enough to condemn the election.

Seizing the Medvedev Moment

The next Russian president's record shows that in office he will be far from Vladimir Putin's puppet, says Nicolai N Petro.

Letter from Russia

Whatever the future may hold, for now at least, Russians are more optimistic about their country and its future than at any time in the past two decades.

Putin: Sourpuss of the Year?

A lot gets lost in the translation of Putin's earthy humor, but it is clearly wrong to call him humorless. Understanding the humor of others, however, does take a conscious effort--the effort of putting one's self in another person's shoes.

Understanding Russia's Elections

Far from indicating a retreat from democracy, the Russian electorate's decisive rejection of the current liberal opposition is a good sign that the country is progressing toward a mature democracy. Over time, Russia's political system will evolve in the same direction that the institutions of the French Fifth Republic have evolved since the presidency of Fran-ois Mitterrand.

An Orthodox balm for Europe: Orthodox Christians can help rebuild East-West ties.

"In the current expansion eastward, however, it is inevitable that the values and mores of European institutions and alliances will be shaped more and more by the traditionalist views of Orthodox Christian believers and less and less by the modern, secularized Protestant assumptions of Western European democracies."

Russia at the crossroads

As it embraces globalisation and capitalism Russia is also rediscovering a pre-1917 religious and cultural heritage that is often at odds with both communism and capitalism.

Russia and Britain: Condemned to Cooperation?

Both Russia and Britain have much to lose by letting their relations deteriorate, only Britain does not quite seem to realize how much it has at stake.

Surkov's Vision for Russia

Vladislav Surkov, deputy chief of staff to Russian president Vladimir Putin, gave an important speech to Russia's leading intellectuals on June 8, laying out a what he sees as the distinctive characteristics of Russian political culture. His speech, entitled "Russian Political Culture: a View from Utopia," tells us a great deal about the vision that underlies Putin's agenda for Russian democracy.

Russia's New Cyberwarriors

Russia's new cyberwarriors are putting Western pundits and journalists on notice-your free pass when writing about Russia is coming to an end.

Putin's Proposal: A Deal Too Good to Pass Up

President Putin's proposal to jointly run the early warning radar site at Gabala in Azerbaijan has several advantages for the United States. Indeed, it is a deal too good to pass up.

Needed: Better Western Coverage of Russia

Recent western media coverage of Russia reveals omissions that call its journalistic objectivity into question.

Russian Rights and Estonian Wrongs

The very Western institutions that were supposed to help safeguard minority rights in the Baltic States have been complicit in their loss.