Brian Whitmore is the author of RFE/RL's popular Power Vertical blog, written especially for Russia wonks and obsessive Kremlin watchers, and the host of the weekly Power Vertical Podcast.
The second day of Barack Obama's trip to Moscow had the U.S. president attempting a difficult balancing act -- seeking Russian support on issues of global concern, like nuclear proliferation, but also making clear U.S. concerns over such things as Moscow's meddling in its neighbor's affairs.
Russia's embattled and marginalized opposition could get a badly needed boost when some of the Kremlin's fiercest critics meet with U.S. President Barack Obama on Day Two of his Moscow summit.
Ever since Barack Obama famously pledged a "reset," smaller countries in Russia's near abroad have feared their interests will be sacrificed for smoother superpower relations. What's the mood in Georgia and Ukraine as the summit begins?
Georgia's separatist Abkhazia has asserted its right to statehood, but a key aspect of its heritage is missing: language. Few Abkhaz have mastered their own language, preferring to use Russian. One exception is Lela Avidzba. Half-Abkhaz and half-Georgian, she's working to promote the use of the Abkhaz language.
It's not just Georgian rule the Abkhaz have a problem with. It's any outside influence. Nearly a year after Abkhazia used Moscow's backing to declare its independence from Tbilisi, Russian troops, cash, and clout are pouring into the territory -- and many Abkhaz are wondering whether they have simply exchanged one master for another.
Georgia is marking its Independence Day, but few are in the mood to celebrate. Russia is concentrating troops near the border and fears of a new invasion are gathering momentum. What is Russia's end game in Georgia and how do they hope to achieve it?
Russia's industrial workers are in no mood to celebrate this May Day. Unemployment is skyrocketing and more layoffs loom. Wage arrears are piling up. Strikes are proliferating. Is Russia on the verge of labor unrest?
Turkey and Armenia are moving quickly to restore relations, and the prospect of a settlement beckons in Nagorno-Karabakh. But as the South Caucasus seeks to resolve old conflicts, a battle for regional influence continues between the United States, Russia, Turkey, and Europe -- with energy raising the stakes.
The monitoring arm of the OSCE has long been seen as the gold standard for judging whether elections were free and fair. But in a series of recent cases, most recently in Moldova, the group's judgment has been called into question after it gave its stamp of approval to votes that were later revealed to be flawed.
A European Union envoy is in Tbilisi to try to mediate an end to a week-long political standoff between President Mikheil Saakashvili and opposition leaders who are demanding his resignation. Street protests continue in the Georgia capital, but some opposition leaders are hinting that they might be ready to negotiate.
With an increasing number of prominent figures calling for changes in Russia's authoritarian system, and with the economy groaning under a persistent economic crisis, President Dmitry Medvedev is making overtures to the liberal intelligentsia. Is the Kremlin embracing reform?
Barack Obama won plaudits from foreign leaders and basked in the glow of adoring crowds during his first overseas trip as U.S. president. But he still didn't manage to take home much in terms of concrete achievements. The reason: U.S. interests and those of key European allies -- not to mention rivals like Russia -- diverge significantly.
EU leaders, gathered in the Czech capital together with U.S. President Barack Obama, issued a joint statement on North Korea's April 5 missile launch and traded opinions on the EU membership bid of Turkey.
In an open-air address today in the Czech capital, Prague, U.S. President Barack Obama called for the elimination of the world's nuclear weapons, just hours after a controversial rocket launch by North Korea.
The first-ever meeting between Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev has ended with both sides expressing optimism that U.S.-Russian relations are on the mend. But despite the talk of Moscow and Washington turning the page, strong differences remain.
When the Berlin Wall came down, NATO was a tightly focused, 16-member military alliance with a clear-cut mission. With Croatia and Albania, the alliance has ballooned to include 28 countries -- with more banging on the door. As NATO turns 60, observers are wondering whether expansion has reached its limits.
Just weeks before Georgia's opposition is planning massive street protests against President Mikheil Saakashvili, law-enforcement authorities are alleging that members of a leading opposition party were caught red handed trying to buy illegal weapons. Is Georgia headed for a fresh round of unrest.
Police raid the state energy monopoly. Truckers block a vital highway. Citizens line up outside banks hoping to withdraw their savings before it's too late. This is Ukraine, as it muddles through an economic and political crisis that could destabilize this strategically important country, which was once touted as one of Eastern Europe's most promising emerging democracies.
It's a deal that analysts have long seen as a possibility: The U.S. scraps its controversial missile-defense program in exchange for Russia pressuring Iran into giving up its nuclear ambitions. Is such an agreement about to become reality?
Russian oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, jailed in Siberia for fraud and tax evasion, is facing fresh charges. Supporters call the case an attempt to keep the Kremlin critic behind bars indefinitely. Observers say the trial is also a test of President Dmitry Medvedev's vow to establish an independent judiciary.
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