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COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

The Power Vertical

The Power Vertical is a blog and podcast for Russia wonks and Kremlin watchers by Brian Whitmore. It covers emerging and developing trends in Russian politics, shining a spotlight on the high-stakes power struggles, machinations, and clashing interests that shape Kremlin policy today.

Host and Eurasia Center Senior Fellow Brian Whitmore invites guest experts to deliver their insights and analysis in this weekly podcast. The Atlantic Council and the Charles T. McDowell Center for Global Studies at the University of Texas at Arlington co-sponsor this production.

The Russia Tomorrow series

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The Eurasia Center’s mission is to enhance transatlantic cooperation in promoting stability, democratic values and prosperity in Eurasia, from Eastern Europe and Turkey in the West to the Caucasus, Russia and Central Asia in the East.

Content

Reality Check

Mar 5, 2021

Reality Check #4: Focus on interests, not on human rights with Russia

By Emma Ashford, Mathew Burrows

The Biden administration should seek to build a less aspirational policy toward Russia, minimize the use of sanctions, and look for incentives that might induce Moscow to take steps in line with US interests.

Politics & Diplomacy Russia

New Atlanticist

Mar 4, 2021

A rebuttal to Russia’s narrative about the West, grounded in history

By Ian Brzezinski, Daniel Fried, Alexander Vershbow

A recently compiled trove of historical documents constitutes a profound rebuttal of a false narrative, contradicting Moscow’s complaints about NATO through the words of Russia’s own top officials and experts. In an age of widespread disinformation and malign revisionism, the collection provides an accurate account of the NATO-Russia relationship.

European Union International Organizations

In the News

Mar 4, 2021

Power Vertical Podcast: Putin’s death squads

By Atlantic Council

Human Rights Politics & Diplomacy

In the News

Mar 4, 2021

Snegovaya interviewed by Illiberalism Studies Program’s Agora on the political economy of populism in Central Europe

By Atlantic Council

Civil Society Human Rights

BelarusAlert

Mar 3, 2021

Spring showdown looms in Belarus

By Brian Whitmore

Belarus faces a hot spring season in 2021. Pro-democracy protesters are seeking the end of a 26-year dictatorship. The geopolitical implications mean Russia and the West will also be very much engaged.

Belarus Civil Society

New Atlanticist

Mar 2, 2021

Three big takeaways from Biden’s first Russia sanctions

By Brian O’Toole, Daniel Fried

After weeks of speculation, we now know how the Biden administration will sanction Russia in direct response to the poisoning, sentencing, and detention of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Economic Sanctions Economy & Business

In the News

Mar 2, 2021

Burrows quoted in The Mobilist: Could your electric vehicle be sabotaged?

By Atlantic Council

Americas China

Seizing the advantage

Mar 1, 2021

How should the next National Defense Strategy balance terrorism, rogue regimes, and great-power competition?

By Matthew R. Crouch, Ronald C. Fairbanks

Our experts explore how the United States can tackle terrorism, address the advances of rogue regimes, and establish a balance between competition and cooperation with other global powers.

China Conflict

In the News

Feb 28, 2021

Herbst in The National Interest: Resisting Russia

By Atlantic Council

Politics & Diplomacy Russia

UkraineAlert

Feb 26, 2021

Why Ukraine sanctioned Putin’s ally Medvedchuk

By Andriy Yermak

Ukraine has introduced a number of measures during February 2021 to restrict the influence of Vladimir Putin's closest Ukrainian ally, Viktor Medvedchuk.

Conflict Disinformation

Experts