by Angela E. Stent (Author)
A gripping account of U.S.-Russian relations since the end of the Soviet Union
The Limits of Partnership
is a riveting narrative about U.S.-Russian relations from the Soviet
collapse through the Ukraine crisis and the difficult challenges ahead.
It reflects the unique perspective of an insider who is also recognized
as a leading expert on this troubled relationship. American presidents
have repeatedly attempted to forge a strong and productive partnership
only to be held hostage to the deep mistrust born of the Cold War. For
the United States, Russia remains a priority because of its nuclear
weapons arsenal, its strategic location bordering Europe and Asia, and
its ability to support―or thwart―American interests. Why has it been so
difficult to move the relationship forward? What are the prospects for
doing so in the future? Is the effort doomed to fail again and again?
What are the risks of a new Cold War?
Angela Stent served as an
adviser on Russia under Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, and maintains
dialogues with key policymakers in both countries. Here, she argues that
the same contentious issues―terrorism, missile defense, Iran, nuclear
proliferation, Afghanistan, the former Soviet space, the greater Middle
East―have been in every president's inbox, Democrat and Republican
alike, since the collapse of the USSR. Stent vividly describes how
Clinton and Bush sought inroads with Russia and staked much on their
personal ties to Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin―only to leave office
with relations at a low point―and how Barack Obama managed to restore
ties only to see them undermined by a Putin regime resentful of American
dominance and determined to restore Russia's great power status.
The Limits of Partnership
calls for a fundamental reassessment of the principles and practices
that drive U.S.-Russian relations, and offers a path forward to meet the
urgent challenges facing both countries.
This edition includes a
new chapter in which Stent provides her insights about dramatic recent
developments in U.S.-Russian relations, particularly the annexation of
Crimea, war in Ukraine, and the end of the Obama Reset.
