Russia and a New Democratic Realism

The weakened Russia of the 1990s has bulked up into a formidable nation that makes the former satellites of the Soviet Union uneasy. In the meantime, the US allowed negotiation opportunities and moral credibility to slip away. The US invasion of Iraq and support of separation for Kosovo handed an excuse to others that might invade sovereign states for regime change or disgruntled provinces that seek breaking away rather than working with ruling states. To maintain security and provide genuine support to Georgia or Ukraine in the face of Russian wrath, the US must devise new methods to work with former Soviet satellites that may not include alliance commitments, suggests Francis Fukuyama, professor and international analyst. The US no longer enjoys hegemony in security or economics, and can best secure troubled regions by cooperation with Russia. – YaleGlobal