The Limits of Partnership: U.S.-Russian Relations in the Twenty-First Century by Angela E. Stent

by Angela Stent

A gripping account of U.S.-Russian relations since the end of the Soviet UnionThe Limits of Partnership offers a riveting narrative on U.S.-Russian relations since the Soviet collapse and on the 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?Angela Stent served as an adviser on Russia under Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, and maintains close ties 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.

Genres: Russia, Nonfiction, Politics, History, International Relations, American History, Political Science

Hardcover

First published December 22, 2013

About the author

Angela Stent is director of the Center for Eurasian, Russian and East European Studies and a professor of government and foreign service at Georgetown University. From 2004 to 2006, she served as national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council. She is the author of The Limits of Partnership: US-Russian Relations in the Twenty-First Century, for which she won the American Academy of Diplomacy’s Douglas Dillon prize for the best book on the practice of American diplomacy.

Reviews

[Kalvin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I disagree with the reviewer saying it is a must read if you failed to pay attention during the cold war. The time periods covered in this book are almost exclusively 1990 onward. I read it to gain an understanding of modern relations with a recent historical perspective and it served that purpose well. It covers the war in Afghanistan, Snowden, the Chechen crises, and personal relations between recent presidents of the two countries in detail. Will be helpful if you're attempting to understand he modern day political scene before doing a trip.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Limits of Partnership examines the Russo-American relationship through four presidential administrations, reviewing what progress was made or conflicts each American executive had with his Russian counterpart. Stent offers that the main problems between the United States and Russia have been fairly consistent from Clinton onwards, and that part of the problem is that each power ultimately wants different things out of the relationship. While the United States wants Russia to mostly confirm to the ideal of western democracy, Russia wants to reclaim its prestige as a great power

The Limits of Partnership begins on a high note, as the Soviet Union disappears overnight during the tenure of a very seasoned foreign policy executive: George H.W. Bush. The elder Bush knew that at this extraordinary moment, when the decades-old adversary had suddenly collapsed into smaller states very unsure of themselves, that care had to be taken not to humiliate Russia's new leadership, but rather encourage them. Most of Russia's weak transition years unfolded during the administration of Bill Clinton, however, and there some issues that would dog the relationship for decades appeared. The most pervasive source of conflict was colliding interests in the "new independent states" of the former Soviet Union. The United States was keenly interest in welcoming post-Soviet states into the community of liberal democracies, and sometimes stepped on Russia's toes as both competed for influence in the "new Europe". Russia, of course, resented the sudden insertion of their old rivals into what used to be part of the Union, an area they still referred to as "the near abroad" to differentiate it from actual foreign countries. This was especially so during the Kosovo crisis, when Russian troops on he ground were nearly attacked by NATO forces attempting to secure an airport; only alleged insubordination kept the attack order from becoming reality and initiation a full-scale conflict.

Although the Bush administration initially hit it off with Putin, and were encouraged by the Russian president's early and fulsome vow of support in the 9/11 aftermath, Bush's "Freedom Agenda combined with Russia's desire to maintain influence in the old Soviet Union put the two nations again and again at loggerheads. At this time, Putin was also becoming....well, Putin, consolidating his power, getting the state into position to better profit from mineral resources, and making the Russian Federation a distinctly more top-down government. Although Putin had facilitate the creation of US bases in central Asia to allow for the US invasion of Afghanistan, the subsequent invasion of Iraq derailed every attempt of progress; Putin joined the leaders of Germany and France in not only not supporting the toppling of Hussein, but working within the UN to officially chide the US. The arrival of Barack Obama saw a more cautious approach to Russia; Obama was a critic of the Iraq war himself, and wasn't trying to rid the world of evil by making everyone democratic. At the beginning, Obama was even able to enlist Russian support in moving troops in and out of the area -- but quickly enough, the initial warm period would give way to constant problems, again relating to Russia's desire to control its immediate neighborhood -- only, during the Obama administration, Putin's efforts had manifested themselves in actual military interventions in its neighbors, one which set alarm bells ringing from the Caspian sea all the way to DC.

In connection with the "near abroad" problem were those created by the the emergence of the United States as a solitary superpower. In the Clinton years, the state department made subtle organizations that effectively demoted Russia's importance: instead of having its own department, it merely had a section within a larger Eurasian one. The US also ended its involvement in several treaties that were deemed to be no longer necessary, which was regarded by Russia's own government as a sign that the United States didn't take it seriously as power. Resentment over this loss of status was made far worse after the unilateral invasion of Iraq, which -- like increasingly many affairs in central Asia -- was done without Russian consent. The United States' increasing involvement in the mideast, and its concerns over regional powers like Iran, also saw the growth of military bases and missile installations -- and much worse, for Russia, NATO invitations to its neighbors. What had NATO been formed for, other than as a counter to Russia? Although early on independent Russia had sought engagement with NATO, and there had been an idea that it could even join that defensive alliance, increasingly Putin -- strengthened by rising oil prices, supported by Russians who regarded him as a return to glory- sought an independent course for Russia, one in which it did not move closer to the west as was hoped, but rather followed its own path.

The Limits of Partnership is a very helpful history of relationships until late 2013, although there were substantial developments in the years that followed -- the debacles of Syria and ISIS, for instance, the midnight expulsion of Russian diplomats during Obama's administration, and the revelation that entities within Russia had been manipulating social media chatter to stir up trouble. It seems more unlikely than ever that America and Russia will establish a fruitful working relationship, but given how personality-fixed Putin's Russia is, once he retires, things may change, and the growing global influence of India and China may change that entirely. It may be that instead of Russia brooding over the loss of a bipolar world, it has to learn to adjust to an entirely different one.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am very glad that I read this book. Other than what I had heard in the media, I didn't really know much about Russia, or the relationship between the U.S. and Russia.
I learned a lot from reading this book. Not just about facts and dates but about perspectives, perceptions and how history can never be "reset." It also made me understand better how important personalities can be to good or bad policy.
This book was just the beginning, I hope, to a continued expansion of my understanding of how our two countries have worked together, and apart, especially in the world today. One can never understand why something happens without understanding what happened before.

[John Sawtelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those of us who lived the cold war, but failed to pay attention, a must read.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative description of U.S.-Russian relations from the breakup of the USSR up to 2014, when the book was written. It is now 2022, 8 years later, and the relationship has not changed. The book also provides an in-depth description of Vladimir Putin. A worthwhile read, although the book was apparently not proofread before publication.

[Sambhavna Biswas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to understand international politics through the various events that have shaped US-Russia relations. The book gives amazing details of all the events in a lucid and engaging way. It's really a battle of egos between Russia and USA that impedes or facilitates good relation.

[Case Tatro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book that details the history of US-Russia relations in an interesting and informative way that avoids becoming dry to density of facts within the story-line. A definite read for any student of IR or US-Russia relations.

[Sophie May · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[GreyAtlas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a pleasure to read Stent's tight and engaging writing. Excellent work. Reads like a thriller but also very informative with important details but not too much details to be boring.

[Turgut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book!

[Manuel Modesto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful. Thesis clear and well backed up