The relationship between Russia and the West is once again deep in crisis. A major reason is that Western leaders have too often believed or hoped that Russia sees the world as they do – but things look very different from Moscow. In confronting the West, Russia is implementing strategic and doctrinal approaches that have been consistent for centuries.
The roots of current Russian behaviour and demands can be traced not just to the Soviet era, but back into Tsarist foreign and domestic policy, and further to the structure and rules of Russian society. These factors give the US and the West pointers for how to behave – and how not to – in order to manage the challenge of Russia effectively.
Moscow Rules – What Drives Russia to Confront the West recognises the reality of confrontation and provides an essential introduction to grasping why Russia sees it as inevitable.
The book was launched at a lunch seminar on Stockholm Free World Forum on Monday February 18. The launch was held as a discussion with the author, Keir Giles, a leading Russia-expert at Chatham House and CSRC with 25+ years of Russia-experience, who explained why its current leadership feels it has no choice but to challenge and attack the West. The discussant of the seminar will be Oscar Jonsson, director of Stockholm Free World Forum.
Keir Giles is a senior consulting fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme at Chatham House as well as Director for the Conflict Studies Research Centre of the UK Defence Academy. Keir has over 25 years of Russia-experience and has published widely on Russian military affairs, information warfare, and military doctrine.