Who Lost Russia?
From the Collapse of the USSR to Putin's War on Ukraine
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- $10.99
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
‘A must read for anyone interested in the future of Europe and the world as a whole.’ Serhii Plokhy, author of The Last Empire
An essential insight into Russia’s relations with Ukraine, the US and beyond
Why did Vladimir Putin launch his devastating attack on Ukraine in February 2022? And is Western policy towards Russia to blame for the bloodiest war on European soil since 1945? Peter Conradi, Europe Editor of the Sunday Times, analyses the series of mistakes and misunderstandings on both sides since the end of the Soviet Union in this updated version of his critically acclaimed book. This edition contains five new chapters that bring the story right up to the present day, examining the events leading to the invasion and setting out what the conflict will mean for the future of Europe
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this balanced and timely work, Sunday Times foreign editor Conradi (The Great Survivors) charts the complex and turbulent course of U.S.-Russia relations since the collapse of the U.S.S.R., and investigates how the end of the Cold War failed to result in either conciliation or superpower cooperation. Working from exclusive interviews with principal players and assorted other sources, Conradi details how occasional moments of tentative cooperation arms control deals, post-9/11 collaboration, the Iran nuclear deal have masked a relationship fraught with tension, fundamentally different perspectives, and mutual misunderstandings. Russia's primary sources of concern include NATO's "relentless march eastward," the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, perceived American political malfeasance in former Soviet territories, and Washington's insistence on a U.S.-centered unipolar world order that ignores Russia's desire to be treated respectfully and "as an equal." Such factors, Conradi argues, contributed to Russia's "sense of humiliation and encirclement." The U.S. has taken issue with Russian President Putin's growing domestic authoritarianism and "newfound assertiveness" abroad: intervention in Georgia, support for separatists in Ukraine, the annexation of Crimea, and a role in the Syrian Civil War. Conradi blends these developments into a smooth narrative that provides welcome context for Russia's recent revanchist behavior and insight into prospects for ongoing U.S.-Russian relations.
