Russia Shifts To The East

Photo Credit: REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

As Tensions With West Rise, Moscow Looks to Asia -- Richard Weitz, The Diplomat

With large-scale military exercises and huge energy deals, Russia has been increasingly assertive in Asia.

Russia’s security differences with NATO countries have been encouraging Moscow to strengthen ties with Asian countries, above all China. These differences range from concerns over U.S. missile defense programs to unease about NATO’s increasingly capable conventional weapons to dissatisfaction with Moscow’s minimal influence on European security issues due to Russia’s non-membership in NATO. The U.S. “pivot” to Asia has also irritated Russian policymakers given Washington’s reluctance to engage Russia as an Asian power. But Moscow and the West do share overlapping security interests in Iran, North Korea, WMD nonproliferation and especially Afghanistan. These interests should buffer Russian-Western tensions for now and perhaps provide the foundation for a better relationship in the future.

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Update: Russia's Military on the March in Asia -- Ariel Cohen, National Interest

My Comment: This shift to the east should not be a surprise. Europe is broke, becoming dysfunctional, and has little to offer to Russia. The Far East is booming .... they have the money and energy to keep on growing .... and more importantly for Russia .... massive and eager markets for their commodities.