The New Cold War?

Despite a recent rejection of a new Cold War between the United States and Russia, a key player in that conflict has spoken out today against "US imperialism". Although Mikhail Gorbachev did not go as far as depicting current relations as another East-West standoff, in a Radio 4 interview, he accuses the US of "empire building" and undermining trust between the two, highlighting Iraq and Missile Defense as major sources of tension. Just as key figures in Reagan era Cold War policy re-emerged in Bush's first term, Gorbachev still holds sway in the foreign policy arena. Gorbachev could never be described as a peace envoy for Putin, but his comments represent an attempt by Russian figures past and present to defend Russia's case - expect a major PR offensive at this week's G8 meeting. Despite his usual optimism, Gorbachev paints a gloomy picture about the future. Diplomatic relations have certainly detiorated recently, in particular with Britain over the Litvinenko investigation. An arms race is on the horizon - Putin has stated that Russia will match US missile defence systems in Eastern Europe by directing its own missiles at European targets. The US response is that their intentions have been transparent with regular briefings, but Russia has preferred "unhelpful rhetoric over actual collaboration". Russia has also sought to extend its influence over former Soviet satellites, in disputes with Georgia over gas, plus Estonia over statues of Soviet war dead and cyberterrorism.

This decline in relations lies more within Russia and its internal failings than in a mutual polarisation between East and West. The slow modernisation process in Russia, rampant corruption and political or economic inequality, have fed a bitter isolationist attitude that Putin encapsulates. Russia has had some very bad PR of late, whether over gay protests, former KGB spies or murdered journalists, but this hardly represents pariah status. It is not a solid excuse for lack of progress, but Russia did exist in what seems a very alien ideological system compared to today for nearly 70 years, up until 1991. As for Putin, he is set to stand down next year, so either, like Blair, he is looking for a legacy but the more radical version or he is setting out the conditions whereby his successor can continue to assert an aggressive Russian foreign policy.