The Realist Prism: Narrowed Focus in U.S.-Russia Relations Proves Productive

The Realist Prism: Narrowed Focus in U.S.-Russia Relations Proves Productive

John Kerry undertook his maiden voyage to Moscow as U.S. secretary of state this week, and the initial impression is that his visit was a success. There was a perceptible thaw in what, over the past year, has been described as a much more contentious relationship. U.S. officials have focused on the prospect of a "more intensified dialogue with the Russians" that can now take place in the aftermath of the presidential elections in both Russia and the United States.

Building upon the foundation laid last month by National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, Kerry continued the process of leaving behind the baggage that had accumulated between Moscow and Washington during the last part of the first term of the Obama administration, particularly over human rights issues. The United States can no longer rely on a close president-to-president relationship; in all of their encounters so far, Presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin have been formally correct but not particularly close. For a "de-personalized" U.S.-Russia relationship to work, it must move away from personalities to focus on issues, while avoiding the many landmines that still litter the landscape—notably continued differences over the state of democracy and human rights in Russia.

Donilon and Kerry, in their visits to Moscow and their meetings with Putin, have spearheaded a fresh start in U.S.-Russia relations, one that, while acknowledging the "values gap" between the two countries, seeks not to be dominated by it. The Obama administration proceeded to sanction a number of Russian officials under the provisions of the Magnitsky Act—drawing the ire of the Kremlin—but far fewer than the several hundred that were predicted, suggesting that the U.S. government will bring up human rights issues but not make them the centerpiece of the relationship. With the Obama administration anxious for a smooth disengagement from Afghanistan, the importance of maintaining the northern supply route through Central Asia has trumped unnecessarily irritating Moscow. The aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing has also re-awakened interest in increasing counterterrorism cooperation, even if it means accepting Russia's "democracy deficit." The Kremlin, for its part, may be moving to a grudging acceptance that tolerating the U.S. need to raise "values issues" is part of the price for maintaining a more normal relationship.

Keep reading for free!

Get instant access to the rest of this article by submitting your email address below. You'll also get access to three articles of your choice each month and our free newsletter:

Or, Subscribe now to get full access.

Already a subscriber? Log in here .

What you’ll get with an All-Access subscription to World Politics Review:

A WPR subscription is like no other resource — it’s like having a personal curator and expert analyst of global affairs news. Subscribe now, and you’ll get:

  • Immediate and instant access to the full searchable library of tens of thousands of articles.
  • Daily articles with original analysis, written by leading topic experts, delivered to you every weekday.
  • Regular in-depth articles with deep dives into important issues and countries.
  • The Daily Review email, with our take on the day’s most important news, the latest WPR analysis, what’s on our radar, and more.
  • The Weekly Review email, with quick summaries of the week’s most important coverage, and what’s to come.
  • Completely ad-free reading.

And all of this is available to you when you subscribe today.

More World Politics Review