Chatham House: Myths & Misconceptions - Foreign Policy
Date: July 13th, 2021 at 15:00 CET / 09:00 EDT Platform: Cisco Webex Events
Link to Video Recording
Link to Report
Abstract
The West’s Russia policy frequently contains flawed assessments based on inaccurate premises, with potentially serious consequences for international security.
The growing threat of China has left some in the West inclined to overlook the Russia threat, in the hope that friendlier relations might provide a better counterweight against Beijing. This would be unwise, as Moscow makes an unreliable partner.
This event also explored why the notion that the West can exploit tensions between Russia and China both misunderstands the nature of the relationship between the two countries and overestimates its susceptibility to Western leverage.
Myths Explored
- The West’s relations with Russia must be normalized to counter the rise of China
- We must drive a wedge between Russia and China to impede their ability to act in tandem against Western interests
Speaker Biographies
Annette Bohr
Title: Associate Fellow Affiliation: Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham House
Annette Bohr has over 30 years of experience as an analyst of Central Asia, specializing in the domestic, energy, and foreign policies of the region. She regularly advises corporate investors and prepares briefings on political risk and strategies of engagement in Central Asian states for international financial institutions, oil and gas companies, and government departments.
James Nixey
Title: Director Affiliation: Russia-Eurasia Programme, Chatham House
James Nixey is the Director of the Russia-Eurasia Programme at Chatham House, specializing in the relationships between Russia and other post-Soviet countries. He has published extensively on Russian influence in the South Caucasus and Central Asia and regularly comments in national and global media.