It has been several weeks since the subject was raised regarding the possibility of a new hard Russian line in the on-going talks to end the catastrophic NATO-Russia Ukrainian War. However arcane the issue and at risk of irritating readers and, most of all, my long-time ‘virtual’ colleague and outstanding diplomatic and international affairs analyst Aleksander Mercouris, which I in no way wish to do, I would like to return to the subject.
In my view, since Alexander first broached the idea prompting me to express a differing point of view back in February, there has yet to emerge a single piece of concrete evidence confirming the existence of a new hardline Russian negotiating position on a single issue being discussed in the talks. Nor has there been any sign of a new issue having been raised, such as an agreement on a European security architecture being made a condition for an agreement to settle the war. I think by adding a new issue or demand Russia indeed would be taking a new hardline.
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NEW BOOK
EUROPE BOOKS, 2022
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RECENT BOOKS
MCFARLAND BOOKS, 2021
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MCFARLAND BOOKS, 2018
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About the Author –
Gordon M. Hahn, Ph.D., is an Expert Analyst at Corr Analytics, www.canalyt.com. Websites: Russian and Eurasian Politics, gordonhahn.com and gordonhahn.academia.edu
Dr. Hahn is the author of the new book: Russian Tselostnost’: Wholeness in Russian Thought, Culture, History, and Politics (Europe Books, 2022). He has authored five previous, well-received books: The Russian Dilemma: Security, Vigilance, and Relations with the West from Ivan III to Putin (McFarland, 2021); Ukraine Over the Edge: Russia, the West, and the “New Cold War” (McFarland, 2018); The Caucasus Emirate Mujahedin: Global Jihadism in Russia’s North Caucasus and Beyond (McFarland, 2014), Russia’s Islamic Threat (Yale University Press, 2007), and Russia’s Revolution From Above: Reform, Transition and Revolution in the Fall of the Soviet Communist Regime, 1985-2000 (Transaction, 2002). He also has published numerous think tank reports, academic articles, analyses, and commentaries in both English and Russian language media.
Dr. Hahn taught at Boston, American, Stanford, San Jose State, and San Francisco State Universities and as a Fulbright Scholar at Saint Petersburg State University, Russia and was a senior associate and visiting fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Kennan Institute in Washington DC, the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, and the Center for Terrorism and Intelligence Studies (CETIS), Akribis Group.