- Leon Aron: How Trump can change Putin’s mind
Many observers, including some in NATO and Western governments, think Moscow is interested in recreating a Russian sphere of influence and even, if possible, hegemony in its near abroad, including along its western periphery. This objective is apparent from Russia’s seizure of Crimea and intervention in Ukraine but also its earlier war with Georgia, its presence there and in Transdniestr, its strong hand in Belarus, and its domineering rhetoric and provocative military exercises directed towards the Baltic states and other Eastern European nations. Moreover, many Western leaders judge that Russia, more ambitiously, is keen to find ways to corrode or even break the cohesion of the NATO Alliance, thereby diminishing American involvement and opening opportunities for Russian leverage in Europe.
http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/weJvFvMC5kP56DAGPJn6/full