Don’t Let Russia be Russia: Neither Provoke nor Indulge

Russia is back: a bully to former Soviet holdings in Europe, a challenge to the United States and its European allies, and one of the self-proclaimed leaders of an alleged post-Western World. A balanced policy toward Russia has never been easy to adopt specifically, execute efficiently, and embrace publicly. The most effective way for the United States and Russia to deal with each other is to stop talking backward and start looking forward, with limited expectations over what can be achieved together and more awareness about what cannot be achieved against the other. Russia is an overachiever whose ambitions exceed its staying power. The West must keep it at a distance until it stands ready to move away from a history that lingers ominously.