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Curbing Russian Anti-Westernism

John Thornhill, Financial Times | January 4, 2009

The fragility of Putin’s Russia has been exposed by the financial crisis, making the need for new rules of engagement between it and the West all the more necessary. ++ Anti-westernism is rife and the West has surely played its part in this. ++ Economic growth under Putin has also created a confused correlation between anti-westernism and success. ++ But the harsh response from the EU to the recent gas crisis has made Russia aware of its vulnerability and “the EU is right to take the lead on reworking economic and political ties.”