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U.S.-Russian Relations
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United States and Russia Have Plenty of Unfinished Business
Russia’s relationship with the United States has long been a contentious and paradoxical one. As early as 1836, Russia’s nation poet Alexander Pushkin was lamenting the “tyranny” of American democracy. But later generations of writers set out to introduce America to Russia, and even held up the ubiquities of American popular culture—especially jazz—as icons of freedom.
This historical ambivalence is reflected in attitudes today. Over the past twenty years Russian attitudes to the United States have been tempered by a disappointment at the unfulfilled promises of the perestroika era. But although that creates a lingering suspicion, and while ordinary Russians may have plenty of bad things to say about American foreign policy, they tend not to let these criticisms affect their judgment of the country as a whole. Opinion polls—and anecdotal evidence—suggest that today’s Russians are ambivalent, not hostile, toward the United States. Many have friends and relatives in America, and most would happily go travelling there. And, perhaps most tellingly, Americans living in Russia say that anti-American sentiments are much lower than it is customary to believe.
If Russians really were as anti-American as their mass media, the “reset” announced by the American and Russian governments this summer would have been impossible. The improvement in atmospherics is undeniable—Russian and American politicians are now talking where previously they chose to ignore each other. But the “reset” is facing difficulties in more practical matters. Trade between the two countries remains paltry. Promised Russian assistance to America and its allies in Afghanistan has failed to emerge. Differing national interests make cooperation on dealing with Iran’s nuclear ambitions almost impossible. And even the signing of a new arms control treaty has been delayed.
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By Roland Oliphant, Russia Profile
December 22, 2009
Russians’ general attitude toward the United States is ambivalent. But there are many Russians who think that Americans break promises, invade other countries, and are insufferably condescending to other cultures.
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By Tom Balmforth, Russia Profile
December 22, 2009
The U. S. and Russian presidents have established a bilateral presidential commission. But what is this commission for, how will it work, and will it be anything more than a bureaucratic talking shop?
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By Roland Oliphant, Russia Profile
December 22, 2009
Areas in which Russian and U. S. interests coincide are disappointingly few. When the “reset” was announced earlier this year, analysts in both countries scrambled to find areas where the two powers could cooperate.
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By Angela Stent, Special to Russia Profile
December 22, 2009
Russia and the United States both have interests in the Post-Soviet space. What effect has the recent “reset” in U.S.–Russian relations had on the two countries’ rivalry and cooperation in the area?
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By Tom Balmforth, Russia Profile
December 21, 2009
Afghanistan is one area where the United States and Russia can cooperate. Theoretically, it is in both Russian and American interests to bring the military insurgency in Afghanistan under control.
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Comment by Leonid Grigoriev, Special to Russia Profile
December 21, 2009
Russia and the United States don’t trade much. And while the ongoing economic crisis is bound to change the status quo, there are not likely to be any major breakthroughs in the foreseeable future.
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By Sanobar Shermatova, Special to Russia Profile
December 21, 2009
Russia and the US compete for influence in Central Asia. But the countries in the region have learned to take advantage of Russia’s and America’s prejudices against each other.
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By Dmitry Babich, Russia Profile
December 21, 2009
America has been a recurrent theme in Russian writings. Great Russian writers have regarded it as a place of intolerant tyranny, a symbol of freedom, and nearly everything in between.
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By Mumin Shakirov, Special to Russia Profile
December 21, 2009
Many a Russian has tried to conquer the Dream Factory. But there is still no talking about the Russians’ true success in Hollywood.
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Comment by Alexei Pankin, Special to Russia Profile
December 21, 2009
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