---
product_id: 62958818
title: "Should We Fear Russia? (Global Futures)"
brand: "dmitri trenin"
price: "€ 18.86"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 10
url: https://www.desertcart.ie/products/62958818-should-we-fear-russia-global-futures
store_origin: IE
region: Ireland
---

# Should We Fear Russia? (Global Futures)

**Brand:** dmitri trenin
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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Thought provoking
  

*by I***V on Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2017*

Thought-provoking large essay, but it doesn't answer the question. It ziz-zags and meanders, arriving to a conclusion that the situation in Western-Russian relations is bad and dangerous, as at any time during the Cold War, but it is bad and dangerous in its own new way.As we move to the future, the U.S. must fear the forces of anarchy, extremist ideology, failed states, environmental catastrophe, the next financial bubble, mismanaged relations with Iran and DPRK. That makes Russia and the U.S. allies some of the time. My concern is that there is no strategy of dealing with Russia, no agreement on "Russia" policy. Sanctions are becoming the "Russia policy" fast. We are wanting and waiting the "Putin's regime" to expire. As Obama said in his famous interview to the Atlantic, "I don't really need George Kennan", which means "I don't need a Russia strategy, Russia lives in the past and is a weak pariah state". "Russia is a gas station masquerading as a country" - a quip from a top Senator. The Beltway's refusal to formulate and communicate to the Russians a coherent policy is a cloud on the horizon which will become a category 4 hurricane quickly.Let's not forget that Russia is a major power with its own habits and a long history of devastating wars and survival. It steps on toes. The US must respect the tragic history of Europe and Russia's place in it. We, the U.S., should fear Russia if we continue to  advance in the Eastern Europe, expand the West and our spheres of influence, give out our security guarantees, leaving no buffer zones and neutral states separating NATO from Russia. If history is any guide, it is a strategy which could lead to war.It is a Thucydides trap as U.S. is afraid or resurgent Russia, the Russians are afraid of U.S. coming close to its borders. Ever since the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, the balance of power in Europe had been founded on the division of Germany and the resultant existence of the BUFFER ZONES between the major states of the continent. Today, with the NATO troops are almost across the Russian borders, there are no buffer zones; already the US, which is a backbone of NATO, and Russian troops are eyeball-to-eyeball in some places across Russia's European border. Is that really smart?Sure, these NATO forces are the tripwire forces -- they are there to reassure the Poles and the Balts, but the tripwire might do little to deter the Russians. They annoy the Russians, if not taunt them, while the Russians are very good in annoying the U.S. back. This adds to a poisonous atmosphere. It is anti-strategy, and I'm sure George Kennan is turning in his grave. Putting tripwire force on Russian borders might not be a very good long-term strategy for the US.Trenin's book is timely and it circles around right questions. Is Russia a threat or a ‘paper tiger’? The Obama administration had two conflicting messages – first, Russia is a threat, and second – Russia isn't a threat at all. Is Russia a Great Power? Does it need to be accommodated because hot war is not an option? Or it's a garden variety regional power which is becoming an outcast state -- a view which Obama held at the end? This is the real paradox: Obama came to the office with a strong impetus for cooperation with Russia and left office 8 years later with a legacy of disengagement, mutual tit for tat, and even military stand-off.Today many leading US think tanks and the leading figures of the Senate see Russia as evil adversary, an enemy, because, in their view, Russia is a despotism where tyrannical leaders are firmly set against rule of law, personal freedom, and free elections. Many are calling for additional sanctioning and boycotting. In their view, Russia is poised to invade a NATO country. At the same time, the Russian internal politics have forced the Russian leadership to react abrasively to US and Europe's actions, especially in Ukraine. The laundry list of Russian complaints includes NATO expansion, US withdrawal form anti-ballistic missile treaty, support of 'color' revolutions in the post-Soviet countries, and alleged participation in the coup in Ukraine. The Russians viewed the EU pathway for Ukraine as a "stalking horse" for NATO.Trenin, in his previous book ‘Post-Imperium’ published in 2011, gave a summary of Russia in transition from communism. If ‘Post-Imperium’ offered a bird's-eye view of the Russian political and social landscape during the turmoil of 1991-2011, this book is about the post-2011 turmoil and breakdown of Russia-West relations. The author conclusion -- there is no need for a serious existential fear; “the Russian Empire is not making a comeback”. He stresses again Russia is a fragile and paradoxical country with a long and tragic history, with both communitarian and autocratic traits, a multi-voiced creature, consisting of a variety of beliefs, many pilling in different directions or competing with one another.However, in the middle of the book, he reverses his tone. “Today Russia is statist, patriotic/nationalistic, and revisionist”. Well, it is precisely ‘revisionist’ Russia everyone in the West is frightened of. On page 49 he goes “And, havng been unable and unwilling to adapt to the US-dominated post-Cold war world, Russia is out to rebel against it, breaking the written and unwritten rules of behavior as it seeks to obtain recognition for its great-power status.” The book zig-zags a bit.Trenin is absolutely correct that Russia seeks to be recognized as a Great Power. China and the US are the other two Great Powers, although the elites in the US consider this as an outdated way of relating to the world. Today, the U.S. is involved in intense security competition with Russia over the former Russian spheres of influence in the post-Soviet space and this dis-accommodation of Russia is pushing Russia towards alliance with another Great Power -- China and closer ties with Iran.Obama couldn't or avoided inflicting a serious economic damage on Russia. The US didn’t introduce the “crippling” sanctions – e.g. exclusion from the SWIFT global banking system, which brought the Iranian financial system to a halt in 2012. The sanctions were severe enough to make Russians hostile and seek rapprochement with China, but not enough to change their behavior or drive “Putin’s regime” out of power.In my opinion, this is what we need to fear most -- lack of knowledge of Russia and half-measures based on confused thinking. Is Russia Great Power or not? Shall we seek containment or accommodation? Do we need a new security arrangement? How are we going to deal with the emerging world disorder in a new genuinely multipolar nuclear age if we continue giving Russia a miss? The Trump administration must answer these. If you think that Russia is a Great Power and acts according to that logic -- like China and the U.S.-- most issues fall into place and the logic of Russia’s behavior becomes more clear. Balance of power, buffer zones, formal or informal empires and spheres of influence is what the Great Powers do, if history is any guide. Great Powers are serious about security of their neighborhoods; they don’t normally tolerate peer-competitors there.Trenin book is a worthy read, despite all criticism. I would probably stressed more what Russia with the United States have in common. Both have great responsibilities for maintaining global order and preventing conflict, both have formidable nuclear arsenals (95% of the World) and global reach, both have access to Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Russians borrowed many emancipatory ideas form the US, though the Americans always have stressed liberty, while the Russians equality. What happened last 100 years in Russia wedded to the tradition of American radicalism and the heritage of Alexander I’s old admirer, Thomas Jefferson. Russia is a hard case and certainly looks like a wild card to the US. I recommend this book to anyone who seeks knowledge about Russia.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Balance between the west, Russia and China.  But written before Trump administratio took over...
  

*by S***X on Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2018*

Wonderfull short book taking each angle at a time.The reader finds Good Reading for evt Russia is a bigger threat as week than strong. The book is problem focused. Lacking suggestions to western policy actions rather than they must be well balanced incl China which power will rise over the one of Russia.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5.0 out of 5 stars







  
  
    Excellent
  

*by G***N on Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2018*

Scholarly, erudite yet largely accessible to the non-specialist reader, Mr Trenin clearly explains the current politics of Russia. Thank-you, Mr Trenin, for this clear, coherent and balanced response to the book title's question. Your name has gone to the top of my list of distinguished writers on Russia. Please give your readers the pleasure of more of your work on this vital contemporary topic.

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*Last updated: 2026-02-28*