Section: RAND (USA)
Ukraine’s Security Sector Needs Substantial Reform
An assessment of Ukraine’s security sector determines what different institutions need to do and where gaps exist. Roles and responsibilities need to be clarified, and coordination is needed among individual ministries and agencies. …read more Source:...
Russia’s Great Power Choice
The Donbas occupation is straining Russia’s economy, world power status, and relationship with the West. Only by pulling out of eastern Ukraine and reforming its economy can Russia gain broader acceptance and reach its potential as a great power. …read more Source:...
How Russia Undermines Nuclear Security
Russian aggression in Ukraine and nuclear saber rattling are jeopardizing the very global nonproliferation efforts that this week’s Nuclear Security Summit in Washington seeks to further. Moscow’s actions deserve a stronger response than they have received. …read more Source:...
The Tide Is Going Out on Putin
Russia is losing ground in domestic politics, economics, and foreign policy. It could take steps to strengthen its position, such as withdrawing from Ukraine, privatizing inefficient state enterprises, and improving the investment climate. …read more Source:...
The West Needs to Take a Tougher Line with Putin
By responding more robustly to Russia’s interventions, the West could reduce military asymmetries in Ukraine and Syria and improve prospects for negotiated outcomes. …read more Source:...
Will Putin Gamble All on a Broader Ukraine Invasion?
If the Krelmin is contemplating further action in Ukraine, it faces a tough choice. The decision could have an enduring impact on Russia’s fortunes. …read more Source:...
Ukraine Crisis Is a Geopolitical Game Changer
Russia’s aggression abroad and repression at home have altered the basic assumptions of earlier Western policy. By misjudging the tolerance for aggression in Europe, Moscow is bringing on the encirclement it fears. The West is now better prepared to deal with any further aggression and more confident that Ukraine’s future will be as...
For Ukraine, the Battle to Bolster a Crashing Economy Is as Dire as Combat in the East
Ukraine’s struggle to keep afloat economically has been daunting, as its parliament has fallen into disarray and failed to enact major economic reforms. Ukrainian lawmakers could help by dealing better with the national budget but their recent deliberations inspired little public confidence. …read more Source:...
The Next European Flashpoints
The West’s most pressing task is to help Ukraine defend itself and survive economic catastrophe. But the West also needs a broader strategy to discourage future Russian coercion of neighbors, help them protect themselves, and counter President Vladimir Putin’s false narrative about Western intentions and lack of political will....
RAND Experts Discuss the Options for Ukraine
A cease-fire agreement could stop the fighting in Ukraine by Sunday. RAND experts William Courtney and Olga Oliker discuss what was accomplished during the summit in Minsk, whether the U.S. should arm Ukraine, and what other options exist for supporting Ukraine. …read more Source:...