Could Right Cause become Dmitry Medvedevâ™s party? This depends on whether he needs the support of a political party. Judging from the incumbent presidentâ™s recent actions, he is not an independent political player at this point. He hopes to be able to run for a second term, but is waiting for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and United Russia to agree to his competing on the campaign trail. </p>

// Jul. 04, 2011 - 16:29 GMT

Russia might want to re-create in a new form its own periphery that would be based on common security and energy cooperation with its immediate neighbors. It will be a complex task, however, as Russia has lost during the last twenty years a significant portion of its industrial base and thus is not as attractive partner as China or India.

// Jul. 01, 2011 - 16:53 GMT

If we assume that Russiaâ™s interests in post-Soviet states lie in propping up their authoritarian governments, undeveloped democratic institutions and civil society, and a lack of transparency in relations between government and business, then Russia will have a negative view of the Partnership for Peace program. </p>

// Jun. 30, 2011 - 16:26 GMT

Russia has ceased to be an empire (a neutral term with no negative connotations). It is now seeking to assert itself and find its place in the world order as a modern great power. In this case, the term âœgreat powerâ� means the ability to take independent decisions at all levels, including strategic. </p>

// Jun. 29, 2011 - 17:09 GMT

On June 25, twenty years ago, Slovenia and Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia. This was followed by the Serbo-Croatian (1991 – 1995), Bosnian (1992 – 1995), Kosovo (1998 – 1999) and Macedonian (2001) wars, which became the official facts in textbooks on the history of international relations. Thus, the question arises: Do the Balkan wars of the 1990s offer something more than academic interest?

// Jun. 29, 2011 - 16:49 GMT

Contact between Russian representatives and foreign opposition leaders aims to help conflicting sides find a mutually acceptable compromise. The Syrian institutes of power that were created several decades ago do not meet modern standards of democracy and efficiency. Unfortunately, there are no conflict and crisis settlement and prevention mechanisms in the Middle East.

// Jun. 27, 2011 - 17:24 GMT

Healthy electoral competition between Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin could be the natural end of the âœdual powerâ� relationship in Moscow, giving Russians the final choice on who should reside in the Kremlin for the next six years. </p>

// Jun. 23, 2011 - 17:26 GMT

The lessons of the Korean War are especially important for Russia. At the time, by trying to expand its sphere of influence, the Soviet Union put its own international prestige at stake by stretching its relations with the West to a breaking point â“ risking the disintegration of the still nascent United Nations and almost turning the Cold War into a hot one. </p>

// Jun. 23, 2011 - 17:20 GMT

A horribly plausible scenario for the future looks like this. The Afghan civilian regime disintegrates after Karzai steps down in 2014, leading to a coup by the Tajik commanders of the Army. This is followed by a counter-coup by Pashtun troops, and civil war in the government controlled areas.

// Jun. 22, 2011 - 16:41 GMT

In recent years one of the main aims of the EU energy policy was to reduce dependence on Russian energy. However, the start of 2011 has prompted to take a different view on the security of energy supply to Europe, especially given an unprecedented increase in gas demand observed in the European market in 2010.

// Jun. 22, 2011 - 16:30 GMT