'I have said it so often: if the West does not stabilize the East, the East will destabilize the West.' - Václav Havel

<blockquote>'..I would not have taken on this work if I did not see the political danger of exploiting the post-imperial syndrome in today's Russian politics..'

- Yegor Gaidar (Context: Collapse of an Empire - '..the collapse of the USSR was the luckiest event in the past half-century..')</blockquote>


'..Russian imperialism is not something left in the past, but a prospect for the future, an argument that is strengthened by the events of the last half year. The post-imperial state that Russia entered after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the loss of influence in the former Republics, has given way to a pre-imperial state that is building its influence over its neighbours..'

<blockquote>'..in the case of Marcel H. Van Herpen’s recent work, Putin’s Wars: The Rise of Russia’s New Imperialism, starting at the end explains why the rest of the book is so important to understanding the on-going events in Ukraine.

..

..the subtitle and not the main title that is of greater significance. The consideration of Russia’s imperialism that the book sets forth provides the background to understanding what has happened in recent months and establishes the basis for the book itself. The focus of the second section of the book, “The ‘Internal War'”, provides those unfamiliar with the domestic forces that influence Russian foreign policy-making with a consideration of the country’s political party system and nationalist forces within Russia. The book’s third section, entitled “The Wheels of War”, is dedicated to the two twenty-first century wars that Russia has fought, one in Chechnya and the other in Georgia. This affords the reader an opportunity to understand the lessons that the Russian leadership has acquired during the fighting and the ability to connect them with what has occurred in recent months in Ukraine.


..

What Putin’s Wars does so successfully is establish that Russian imperialism is not something left in the past, but a prospect for the future, an argument that is strengthened by the events of the last half year. The post-imperial state that Russia entered after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the loss of influence in the former Republics, has given way to a pre-imperial state that is building its influence over its neighbours. While in the past Russia has built its empire through territorial expansion, the new imperialism is seeking to institutionalise Russian influence over the neighbourhood.'

- Valerie Pacer, Review – Putin’s Wars: The Rise of Russia’s New Imperialism, August 5, 2014</blockquote>


'..Czech President Vaclav Havel, expressed the same concern sixteen years earlier: "I have said it so often: if the West does not stabilize the East, the East will destabilize the West." This is a warning that should be taken seriously.'

<blockquote>'It is amazing that a book published in February could so accurately predict the way the war in Ukraine has unfolded in the half year since. The entire thing has been driven by Russia, in an obvious drive to reestablish its empire. This is done with no regard for the Ukrainian people, including the Russian speaking majority from he pretends to be protecting.

..

..When the Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski was asked: "Can you imagine any kind of renewed geopolitical conflict to your west in your lifetime?" he answered "I have a vivid imagination, but no, I cannot imagine an armed conflict between us and Germany." When asked: "Does your imagination extend to the possibility of a future conflict to the east ?" he answered: "Our relations with Russia, like yours [U.S.A.], are pragmatic but brittle. And unfortunately, after the war between Russia and Georgia, I'm afraid conflict in Europe is imaginable." Another East European politician, Czech President Vaclav Havel, expressed the same concern sixteen years earlier: "I have said it so often: if the West does not stabilize the East, the East will destabilize the West." This is a warning that should be taken seriously.'

- Graham H. Seibert, Review Putin's Wars: The Rise of Russia's New Imperialism, July 28, 2014</blockquote>


Context

<blockquote>'..Cutting the flow of riches to the Kremlin..' - Emma Ashford

Russia - '..fundamental constitutional reform..' - '..the Long Game..'

'Russia has chosen the role of pariah..' - Philip Hammond


'If Putin’s aggression is not stopped in Ukraine..' - '..The military defense of Ukraine..'

'..[Russia was] "practically in a war against Europe". ' - Dalia Grybauskaite

'..Putin is not our ally or partner, but rather our foe, and make this position clear to him and to the rest of the world.'</blockquote>