RUSSIA’S APPROACH TO THE USA: BETWEEN HATE AND LOVE

Abstract

During Putin’s regime, Russia has achieved visible economic success, mostly due to high oil prices. The declining value of the dollar and American troubles in Iraq provide the elite and masses with the feeling that Russia is on its feet and could challenge the USA. Still, a close analysis shows that there is much common ground between Russians and Americans. Russians do not object to violence in American foreign policy but assume its application should be well thought out. Russians also think American imperial aggrandizement is not a problem in itself. The problem is that American leadership is guided by unworkable schemes to instil Western-type democracy globally. This is as unworkable as the Soviet plan to spread the socialist system all over the world. The Russian elite also emphasize that flirtation with Iran and China is due only to US pressure, and could well be changed with the end of this pressure. All this indicates that not much would be needed to resume Russian/American détente.