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RES
241 Russia and the West
Russia,
which covers one tenth of the world's land surface and covers 11
time zones is East and West, North and South. Europe and Asia. Its
borders touch the
Arctic
Ocean
in
the
North,
the Pacific
and
Baltic
Seas
in the West and East, and China and the Central Asian states to the
South and East. Russia's borders bring it into contact with more
countries in the world than any other state. However, since Peter
the Great, Russia's biggest strategic problem and cultural quandry
has been the West, by which I mean Europe and North America.
What is Russia's relationship with Western countries? Should it
fear them or embrace them? Is Russia part of Europe or does its culture
reflect a mix of Asian and European influences. What do Russians
mean when
they
talk
about Russia as a "Eurasian" state? These are the questions that
have nagged Russian intellectuals and confront Russian policymakers.
Where does Russia belong and what does that imply for Russia's
future? |
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