Russia's 'Sphere' In Europe

A Russian Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile. Photo AFP

From The Washington Post:

As Washington and Moscow zero in on a new strategic arms control treaty, it is time to look at what lies ahead in U.S.-Russian relations. The greatest gap between Western and Russian thinking today may not be on Afghanistan or Iran. It may well be on Europe. The first signs of the unraveling of the European security system built after the Cold War are evident.

Almost unnoticed in the U.S. media, Moscow last month proposed a new draft treaty on European security -- thus making good on President Dmitry Medvedev's call after the Russo-Georgian war of August 2008 for changes to the current system. In parallel, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov brought forward a second and more worrying document in the NATO-Russia Council. This is the latest in a series of Russian moves to alter how European security is run, to constrain NATO and, above all, to stop any further enlargement of the Western alliance.

Read more ....

My Comment: While some in Russia may hope for some return to the glorious days of Imperial Russia .... realistically .... everyone knows that it is not going to happen. Russia does not have the resources or will to impose forcibly their agenda on their neighbors .... and their neighbors know that. The dismissal of Russia's attempt to constrain NATO and Eastern European countries from pursuing security arrangements with the West is one example of where Russian insistence on a "new arrangement" is falling on deaf ears.

The big question that needs to be asked is ....what will the Russians do next? My guess .... we will be seeing more of the same