The Kremlin Strikes Back

This book assesses the prospects for resolving the conflict between Russia and the West in the wake of Russia's annexation of Crimea.

In The Kremlin Strikes Back, Steven Rosefielde provides insight into the current crisis in Ukraine and Crimea and situates it within a larger geopolitical context. He highlights post-Soviet economic, political, and security developments and parallel changes in the United States and the European Union.America and Europe responded to Russia's annexation of Crimea on March 18, 2014 by discarding their policy of East-West partnership and reverting intermittently to a policy of cold war. The West believes that this on-again/off-again second Cold War will end with Russia's capitulation because it is not a sufficiently great power, while the Kremlin's view is just the opposite; Vladimir Putin believes that if Moscow has strategic patience, Russia can recover some of the geostrategic losses that it incurred when the Soviet Union collapsed. The Kremlin Strikes Back scrutinizes the economic prospects of both sides, including factors like military industrial prowess, warfighting capabilities, and national resolve, addressing particularly hot-button issues such as increasing military spending, decreasing domestic spending, and other policies. Stephen Rosefielde aims to objectively gauge future prospects and the wisdom of employing various strategies to address Russian developments.