Greater Russia: Is Moscow out to subvert the West? — Richard Sakwa

Longish article delving deep into the background and issues. Maybe save it for weekend reading.


Short answer: Russia rejects Western all-or-nothing economic imperialism and neo-colonialism expressing it itself as US neoliberal and neoconservativism with the elites of European vassal states going along in favor of a multipolar world that respects national sovereignty and international agreements and law. Russia further objects to assumptions about Western ethnic and cultural exceptionialism. Russia joins other traditionalist countries and civilizations that  view Western liberalism as morally degenerate and socially destructive in opposing this.



The controversy is over whose moral imperatives will prevail. The US holds that American moral imperatives are absolute for the whole world and non-negotiable. Russia holds that moral imperatives differ among nations and civilizations and those peoples should be free to choose rather than having alien assumptions foisted on them.

The US interprets this as Russia trying to undermine the West and subvert Western values.

Collision course.


International Politics
Greater Russia: Is Moscow out to subvert the West? 
Richard Sakwa | Professor of Russian and European politics at the University of Kent