May 22, 2017
Russia's main target is not the US or NATO but the EU
“It is not Russian military power that is threatening us, it is Russian political power,” George Kennan once said in a speech to the Army War College in 1947. Similarly, Russian leaders today undoubtedly fear the further expansion of NATO eastward. But they also consider the European Union (EU) to be their primary strategic competitor.
This fact is often overlooked by policymakers on this side of the Atlantic as Washington focuses its attention on Russia’s actions in Syria and Ukraine or its interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. But Washington should do more — in concert with Europe — to protect the EU from Russian meddling, influence and subversion.
Read the full commentary in The Hill.
More from CNAS
-
Developing the European Defense Industry
Podcast
Since the war in Ukraine began, the European Union has provided substantial military support to Kyiv. Yet years of underinvestment and a lack of coordination mean that Europe’...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Jim Townsend
-
The President's Inbox: Axis of Autocracies Challenge, With Jennifer Kavanagh & Andrea Kendall-Taylor
Podcast
Andrea Kendall-Taylor, senior fellow and director of the Transatlantic Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, joins The President's Inbox to discuss the n...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor
-
Russia and the Rise of BRICS
Podcast
This past Tuesday, Russia hosted a high-profile summit of the BRICS group in Kazan, Russia, demonstrating its growing determination to challenge the Western-led international ...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Kate Johnston
-
What Might We Expect in Foreign Policy During a Second Trump Term?
Podcast
As the 2024 presidential elections draw nearer, it’s becoming increasingly urgent to understand the potential implications for U.S. foreign policy. This week, Brussels Sprouts...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor & Kate Johnston
