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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

New Atlanticist

Oct 19, 2011

Putin and the US Senate

By Anna Borshchevskaya

On October 12, the U.S. Senate held a hearing to confirm National Security Council official Michael McFaul to be the next U.S. ambassador to Russia. McFaul used his testimony to defend the Obama administration’s “reset” policy, even though the policy has neither reversed the antagonism which marks the U.S.-Russian relationship nor improved U.S. national security. […]

Russia

New Atlanticist

Oct 5, 2011

Nord Stream Winners and Losers

By Morgan Aronson

The Nord Stream pipeline, a $10 billion venture that opened last month, will allow Russia to deliver 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas directly to Germany, bypassing the traditional transit countries in Eastern and Central Europe. This has the potential to destabilize political relationships in Europe by transforming Russia from a merely influential player […]

Energy & Environment Russia

New Atlanticist

Oct 4, 2011

Russian Musical Chairs: A Country on the Stop

By Ross Wilson

President Dmitri Medvedev’s public dressing down and dismissal of his country’s deputy prime minister and finance minister, Alexei Kudrin, on September 26 has attracted widespread attention in Russia and abroad.

Russia

New Atlanticist

Oct 4, 2011

Medvedev Thinks He’s President of Russia

By James Joyner

The recent news that Vladimir Putin would be running for his old office as president of Russia was greeted by bemusement with many Western observers, myself included, who have been under the impression that Putin has been running the country from a different chair and that little would change. One person who seems not to […]

Russia

New Atlanticist

Sep 29, 2011

Caspian Natural Gas Inches Closer to Markets

By Boyko Nitzov

Earlier this month, two events occurred which are likely to significantly boost Europe’s hopes for diversifying its gas supply and help realize Caspian gas exporting countries’ aspirations for reaching global gas markets. 

Energy & Environment Russia

New Atlanticist

Sep 27, 2011

The Rebirth of President Putin

By Don Snow

Vladimir Putin announced on Sunday that he will trade places with current president Dmitry Medvedev next year, running for the presidency while Medvedev settles for the number two spot of prime minister. Under revisions to the Russian constitution, the presidency has been lengthened from a four-year to a six-year term, and presidents can run for […]

Russia

New Atlanticist

Sep 21, 2011

Breakthrough or Just Broken? China and Russia’s UNGA Proposal on Cyber Norms

By Jason Healey

China and Russia just dropped a surprising draft resolution at the United Nations General Assembly. 

China International Organizations

Event Recap

Sep 16, 2011

Third Annual Members’ Conference – Russia 2012 and Beyond: Reset or Rewind?

By Adrienne Chuck

Summary of the town hall “Russia 2012 and Beyond: Reset or Rewind?” at the 2011 Annual Members’ Conference.   Participants Alexander Vershbow,* Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, United States Department of Defense; former United States Ambassador to NATO and to the Russian Federation Moderated by Annette Heuser,** Executive Director, Bertelsmann Foundation

Russia

New Atlanticist

Sep 16, 2011

Moscow Plans for a Post-NATO Afghanistan

By Jakub Kulhanek

The looming withdrawal of US and NATO troops from Afghanistan slated for 2014 poses for Moscow a serious geopolitical predicament. In spite of their conspicuous silence on the matter, Russian officials have been growing increasingly uneasy about the potential vacuum. Yet still some in the Russian leadership see this as a welcome opportunity to expand […]

Afghanistan NATO
Rose Gottemoeler at ACUS

Event Recap

Sep 9, 2011

Russia and the West: Moving the Reset Forward?

By Jason Harmala

On September 9, the Atlantic Council, the Institute for Security and Development Policy and the US Army War College hosted a conference that focused on the trilateral US-Europe-Russia relationship and the current status and future of the reset. The sessions identified the obstacles and challenges facing the reset and steps for U.S. and European governments […]

Europe & Eurasia Russia

Experts