Külügyi Szemle - A Magyar Külügyi Intézet folyóirata - 2009 (8. évfolyam)
2009 / 2. szám - OROSZORSZÁG - Gyarmati István: A medve újra élesíti körmeit: cirkusz vagy valóság ?
Resume The Bear Is Sharpening its Claws Again: A Show or Reality? Russia has changed - again. In some respect it changed back: it became a classical 19th century power that promotes the "concert of powers" concept. This is fully understandable, since Russia, despite its short-term "renaissance", is a declining power and has zero chance to match the power of the only (although also declining) superpower, not to mention the rising powers such as China and India. It is Russia's only chance to become one of those powers. That being said we also must see that in order to achieve that it uses 21st century methods combined with the classical use of military power, when and where possible. The use of energy in many ways is a novelty, balancing on the border of hard and soft power, one that we haven't been able to find the ways of dealing with it. Russia also shows many faces to its partners. It is quite hostile to the United States, though strives tobecome its partner-on equal footing, which is a desire doomed to fail. It is friendly with Europe, especially withits Western part, firstof all with Germany and Italy. Butitisless than friendly with the former allies and explicitly hostile with the former Soviet Republics. These two new approaches are too much for the West. We have not been able to define a common approach, let alone a common strategy and it does not look like we will be able to find one in the foreseeable future either. That should not discourage us to look for one, especially in such crucial areas as NATO's new Strategic Concept. 2009. nyár 49
