Cold Peace: Russia's New Imperialism

About the Book

The Russian regime under President Vladimir Putin has embarked on a coherent long-term strategy to regain its influence over former satellites and to limit Western penetration in key parts of this region. Moscow is intent on steadily rebuilding Russia as a major power on the Eurasian stage and will use its neighbors as a springboard for expanding its dominance. In this first systematic analysis detailing Russia's post-Cold War imperialism, Bugajski challenges the contemporary equivalent of Cold War appeasement, which views Russia as a benign and pragmatic power that seeks cooperation and integration with the West.

Review :
"This important and timely book will be a revelatory shock to most readers. It exposes vividly what has been ignored by most U.S. policy makers, from the White House down: namely, that Russia's policies towards the countries of the former Soviet Bloc are still being influenced by an ominously imperialist nostalgia. I know of no other work which so effectively combines analysis with hitherto unknown and highly sensitive data."-Zbigniew Brzezinski "As its title indicates, this book is an indictment of Russian post-Soviet foreign policy as imperialistic and reflecting Great Russian chauvinism....[a]n interesting contribution to the ongoing debate about Russian politics....Recommended. Researchers and faculty."-Choice "Janusz Bugajski, in his splendid new survey of Russian foreign policy in the region, Cold Peace, suggests that relations with Central and Eastern Europe are even worse than they might be because Russians have only "paltry information about their Western neighbors [which] fosters hostile stereotypes about the allegedly Russophobic East Europeans..,."[B]ugajski analyzes Russian policy toward the former Soviet bloc and toward the former Communist countries of Central Europe and the Balkans with a single-mindedness that leaves little room for accident or ambiguity. Its appearance could scarcely be better timed."-The New York Review of Books ?[M]akes important contributions to shaping the debate....[s]urveys Russia-Eastern Europe relations and provides a comprehensive analysis of Russia's attempts to reconfigure its economic, foreign and security polities in the region to maintain its influence. Cold Peace masterfully reflects the evolution of Russia's concerns about NATO expansion....Cold Peace makes a persuasive argument for a thoughtful Western energy policy towards 'Russian as energy superpower', based on diversifying the types of energy resources to be used and a strategy for supply diversification; as well as the importance of the ratified and functioning EU-Russia Energy Charter.?-Survival ?[T]he Stalinist past continues to exercise a hypnotic spell on the men in the Kremlin, and Mr. Bugajski is right to call for vigilance.?-The Washington Times ?As its title indicates, this book is an indictment of Russian post-Soviet foreign policy as imperialistic and reflecting Great Russian chauvinism....[a]n interesting contribution to the ongoing debate about Russian politics....Recommended. Researchers and faculty.?-Choice ?Bugajski provides the first detailed, tightly woven assessment of post-Soviet Russian policy in eastern Europe....Even those who see Russian policy in less black-and-white terms will learn much from this systematic, informed treatment of Russia's relations with every part of this region--from Belarus to Croatia, Estonia to Bulgaria.?-Foreign Affairs ?Cold Peace pulls no punches in its scathing analysis of Russia's current policy toward states including the Ukraine, Baltic States, Belarus, and Kaliningrad, and much more. A sharply worded warning especially recommended for politicians, students, business leaders and workers involved in international current affairs.?-MBR Internet Bookwatch/The Bookwatch ?Cold Peace: Russia's New Imperialism is a useful addition to the literature on Russia's current foreign policy. The book provides a detailed analysis of Moscow's strategic objectives and policies toward the European parts of the former Soviet Union and its onetime client states in Central and Eastern Europe....What Bugajski seeks--and what he achieves--is an informed, realistic appraisal of Russia's policies toward its former empire. Awareness of Russia's aims by no means precludes cooperation on a variety of issues, but it does help Western policymakers understand what they are doing. Although his discussion may imply a bit more strategic clarity and consistency in Russia's present leadership than is perhaps justified, it is hard to fault his analysis, which is well reasoned, well documented, and persuasive. Cold Peace should appeal not only to specialists on Russia and Eastern Europe but to anyone interested in foreign policy.?-Perspectives on Political Science ?Janusz Bugajski, in his splendid new survey of Russian foreign policy in the region, Cold Peace, suggests that relations with Central and Eastern Europe are even worse than they might be because Russians have only "paltry information about their Western neighbors [which] fosters hostile stereotypes about the allegedly Russophobic East Europeans..,."[B]ugajski analyzes Russian policy toward the former Soviet bloc and toward the former Communist countries of Central Europe and the Balkans with a single-mindedness that leaves little room for accident or ambiguity. Its appearance could scarcely be better timed.?-The New York Review of Books "ÝM¨akes important contributions to shaping the debate....Ýs¨urveys Russia-Eastern Europe relations and provides a comprehensive analysis of Russia's attempts to reconfigure its economic, foreign and security polities in the region to maintain its influence. Cold Peace masterfully reflects the evolution of Russia's concerns about NATO expansion....Cold Peace makes a persuasive argument for a thoughtful Western energy policy towards 'Russian as energy superpower', based on diversifying the types of energy resources to be used and a strategy for supply diversification; as well as the importance of the ratified and functioning EU-Russia Energy Charter."-Survival "ÝT¨he Stalinist past continues to exercise a hypnotic spell on the men in the Kremlin, and Mr. Bugajski is right to call for vigilance."-The Washington Times "[M]akes important contributions to shaping the debate....[s]urveys Russia-Eastern Europe relations and provides a comprehensive analysis of Russia's attempts to reconfigure its economic, foreign and security polities in the region to maintain its influence. Cold Peace masterfully reflects the evolution of Russia's concerns about NATO expansion....Cold Peace makes a persuasive argument for a thoughtful Western energy policy towards 'Russian as energy superpower', based on diversifying the types of energy resources to be used and a strategy for supply diversification; as well as the importance of the ratified and functioning EU-Russia Energy Charter."-Survival "Cold Peace: Russia's New Imperialism is a useful addition to the literature on Russia's current foreign policy. The book provides a detailed analysis of Moscow's strategic objectives and policies toward the European parts of the former Soviet Union and its onetime client states in Central and Eastern Europe....What Bugajski seeks--and what he achieves--is an informed, realistic appraisal of Russia's policies toward its former empire. Awareness of Russia's aims by no means precludes cooperation on a variety of issues, but it does help Western policymakers understand what they are doing. Although his discussion may imply a bit more strategic clarity and consistency in Russia's present leadership than is perhaps justified, it is hard to fault his analysis, which is well reasoned, well documented, and persuasive. Cold Peace should appeal not only to specialists on Russia and Eastern Europe but to anyone interested in foreign policy."-Perspectives on Political Science "[T]he Stalinist past continues to exercise a hypnotic spell on the men in the Kremlin, and Mr. Bugajski is right to call for vigilance."-The Washington Times "Bugajski provides the first detailed, tightly woven assessment of post-Soviet Russian policy in eastern Europe....Even those who see Russian policy in less black-and-white terms will learn much from this systematic, informed treatment of Russia's relations with every part of this region--from Belarus to Croatia, Estonia to Bulgaria."-Foreign Affairs "Cold Peace pulls no punches in its scathing analysis of Russia's current policy toward states including the Ukraine, Baltic States, Belarus, and Kaliningrad, and much more. A sharply worded warning especially recommended for politicians, students, business leaders and workers involved in international current affairs."-MBR Internet Bookwatch/The Bookwatch