In this week’s media highlights, Akin Unver writes in Foreign Affairs about the long history of the Russia-Turkey conflict that has recently escalated following the downing of the Russian jet by Turkey. The consequences of this conflict have been widely discussed in the expert community. Also, Paul R. Gregory writes in Forbes about the Russian truck drivers’ protest against a new road tax, arguing that this uprising coming from the working class could present a serious threat to the Kremlin.
At the recent G20 summit in Antalya Vladimir Putin and Recep Erdogan were still friends. After the downing of the Russian jet by Turkey, Putin called the Turkish president a backstabber and imposed sanctions on Turkey. Photo: Zuma News via TASS.
Clash of Empires: Why Russia and Turkey Fight
Akin Unver, Foreign Affairs
Unver explains the current soured relations between Russia and Turkey through a historicist perspective, citing incidents of Russian and Turkish conflict during the 18th through 20th centuries. Russia’s rising aggression threatens Turkey’s security once again, and if the Syrian conflict is not managed, Russia, Turkey and NATO risk embroilment in an all-out war, says Unver.
Putin's Sanctions Decree Raises Fears of Russian Isolationism
Jack Farchy, Financial Times
As a consequence of the recent explosion of a Russian passenger plane over Sinai and Turkey’s downing of a Russian jet, ordinary Russians have been banned from traveling to Egypt and Turkey, leaving few options for vacation spots this holiday season. Could Russia be deliberately keeping its citizens from venturing abroad?
Has Putin Met His Match in Russia's Truck Drivers?
Paul R. Gregory, Forbes
For more than two weeks, long-haul truck drivers across Russia have been protesting a new road tax and calling for the ousting of the transport minister and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. Gregory argues that this uprising coming from the working class could present a more serious threat to the Kremlin than have liberal opposition members in the past.
Putin Looks Homeward, Hates What He Sees
Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg View
Putin’s state of the nation address this week starkly contrasted with his speech last year. Instead of lambasting Ukraine, Turkey and the U.S., he focused on domestic issues such as rebuilding the economy and fostering a more virtuous business climate in Russia. Bershidsky argues that the speech’s non-militant tone betrayed the president’s insecurity.
The TV vs. the Fridge
Peter Pomerantsev & Nathan Gamester, Foreign Policy
Public attitudes toward the economic downturn in Russia can either be shaped by faith in the state propaganda or realization of the realities of decreased living standards: in other words, it is the battle of the TV and the fridge. Using Legatum Institute’s Prosperity Index, Pomerantsev and Gamester explain why the TV is winning in Russia and how perceptions of living conditions compare among Americans and Russians.
