The Kremlin Strikes Back
Russia and the West After Crimea's Annexation

This book assesses the prospects for resolving the conflict between Russia and the West in the wake of Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Steven Rosefielde (Author)

9781107572959, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 15 December 2016

308 pages, 6 b/w illus. 2 maps
22.8 x 15.2 x 1.8 cm, 0.46 kg

'This volume examines the strategies and prospects of both Russia and the West visà-vis their conflict over Crimea. While the West is said to believe that Russia's weaknesses will eventually lead it to capitulate, Russia is said to believe that a patient approach will allow it to recover its geostrategic prominence.' Survival: Global Politics and Strategy

America and Europe responded to Russia's annexation of Crimea on March 18, 2014 by discarding their policy of East-West partnership and reverting intermittently to a policy of cold war. The West believes that this on-again/off-again second Cold War will end with Russia's capitulation because it is not a sufficiently great power, while the Kremlin's view is just the opposite; Vladimir Putin believes that if Moscow has strategic patience, Russia can recover some of the geostrategic losses that it incurred when the Soviet Union collapsed. The Kremlin Strikes Back scrutinizes the economic prospects of both sides, including factors like military industrial prowess, warfighting capabilities, and national resolve, addressing particularly hot-button issues such as increasing military spending, decreasing domestic spending, and other policies. Stephen Rosefielde aims to objectively gauge future prospects and the wisdom of employing various strategies to address Russian developments.

Part I. Crimea's Annexation: 1. Vendetta
2. Annexation
Part II. Resurgent Cold War: 3. Punitive measures
4. Minsk II protocol
5. Partnership to Cold War
6. War of attrition
Part III. Correlation of Forces: 7. Putin's economy
8. Ukranian morass
9. Western secular stagnation
10. Military cross-currents
11. X-Factors
Part IV. Duty to Prevail: 12. Strategies
13. Double gaming
Part V. What Is to Be Done: 14. Coexistence
15. Eternal Russia.

Subject Areas: International economics [KCL], International relations [JPS]