Engaging Russia and its Regions

Relations between Russia and the West are at a difficult stage. At present, there exists a real danger that both sides will grow increasingly fatigued with the slow and difficult process of Russia's economic and political reforms. Nevertheless, opportunities for improved relations between Russia and the West do exist. The August 1998 financial crisis has helped to highlight the complexities of Russia's transformation and the failure of the West's Russia policies. Policymakers in the West have tended to focus on nuclear issues rather than systemic change, on personalities rather than on institutions and policies, and on the central state rather than on Russian regionalism, one of the key forces driving Russian state-building over the past decade. The author argues that in order to develop a coherent set of Russia policies, Western policymakers need to start with a frank assessment of Russia's power and the state of its reforms. Russia faces a very different social, political and economic reality than the does the West. Moreover, conceptual gaps exist between Russian and Western perceptions of international relations in the 21st century. In particular, the challenges and opportunities posed by regionalism are understood in very terms. In engaging Russia and its regions, the West should acknowledge these differences, while at the same time clearly defining its interests in an increasingly globalized world.