As I prepare for our discussion of the Russia-Ukraine situation in class on Monday, I am struck with the ups and downs of Russia's relationship with the West. Russia fought with the Allies in WWI, then Stalin made a pact with Hitler which Hitler broke in 1941, so the Soviet Union fought the remainder of WWII alongside the Allies. Afterward, the Iron Curtain fell on Europe and the Cold War with the West ensued. Even during the Cold War, there were periods of détente, most notably between 1969 and 1974. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, there was a period of greater engagement with the West under Boris Yeltsin. But this gradually disintegrated under the rule of Vladimir Putin. The relationship moved from active engagement to relative ambiguity and in more recent years to outright antagonism. Russia's aggressive stance against Ukraine represents the latest episode in this gradual deterioration of relations between Russia and the West. To me, this is a sort of mystery.
What explains the antagonism between the West and Russia? Wouldn't both sides, and especially Russia, be better off interacting and cooperating? There are no massive cultural or geographic barriers that explain the cleavage. There is a long history of conflict, but there is also a long history of conflict with Germany and that country is, so far, firmly part of the Western Alliance. Moreover, Russia's historical allies (France) are among the most aggressive in trying to contain its ambitions, and its historical enemies (Germany) are not. I don't understand what Russia fears about the expansion of NATO. Why doesn't Russia aspire itself to be a part of NATO? Or of the European Union, for that matter? Differences in political regime types have something to do with the answer, as does a long tradition of nationalism. Perhaps things would have played out very differently if Russia had remained a democracy instead of gradually sliding into autocracy - or if someone besides Putin had been at the helm. Perhaps Russia's ancestral and remarkable culture, its large landmass and its sizeable population (144 million) give it a sense of special purpose.
It is in this broad context that I invite you to read this excellent WSJ article by Greg Ip (always an astute observer of international affairs). The article quotes my dear friends Sergei Guriev and Ruben Enikolopov on some of the issues above. Russia was much better off in the era of its integration with the West. Perhaps things will get worse before they get better, but I for one look forward to the day when this great country - the country of Pushkin, Tolstoy, Tchaikovsky and Prokofiev - rejoins the concert of nations.