By Celia Canon-Talk Radio News Service

Boris Nemstov, Russia’s former Deputy Prime Minister, believes that the global financial crisis is forcing changes in Russia’s balance of power. Consequently, Nemstov urged President Barack Obama during a discussion at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Center on Thursday to focus more attention on Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in order to achieve a stronger democracy.

“[For a ] transformation from an authoritarian to a democratic regime, the best way is to give a chance to Medvedev to be a real president,” since, as Nestov explained, Medvedev is in charge of foreign affairs while former President and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin takes care of domestic concerns.

Nemstov stressed that “Putinism is disastrous for Russia…Obama plays by Putin’s rules which [are] crazy, its unconstitutional.”

Discord between the two countries has presented a challenge to the U.S. in the past few of years following Russia’s desire to expand in the Arctic, however the U.S has recently extended a hand to Russia in order to enforce sanctions against North Korea for their missile tests.

In contrast to the American Presidential transition of power, Kathryn Stoner-Weiss argued that the transition of power from Russian President Putin to President Medvedev is not bringing any change at all. Weiss, associate director of research and senior research scholar at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law at Stanford University and former Title VIII supported scholar at the Kennan Institute, made this argument at a discussion on “Medvedev’s Challenges in Governing Putin’s Russia: What a New American President Should Know.”

With the current global economic crisis and Russia’s growing interest in economic development over security, Weiss advises President-Elect Obama to engage with Russian civil society and improve relations with Russia and their European allies.

Weiss said President Medvedev has always been working under Putin, and that Putin is clearly still running the country. Russia is currently proposing to extend the term of president from four years to six years for the next elected president, which Weiss believes opens the door for Putin to come back into office. Weiss argued that the causes of economic growth under Vladimir Putin were independent from the regime change after President Yeltsin, and that the corruption and drawback of freedoms actually worsened under Putin. Transparency International dropped Russia’s ranking by 26 places from last year, tying Russia with Syria and Kenya.

Weiss also believes Putin did not necessarily represent a democracy because he had high approval ratings. She said his high approval was the result of people conflating a leader with an era, and because Putin put restrictions and regulations on the media.

Briefer: Deputy White House Press Secretary Tony Fratto

President’s Schedule

This morning President Bush got an update from National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley and also spoke to Secretary Rice on the phone. He then received his daily intelligence briefings where Georgia was also discussed.
There have been a number of calls made to foreign leader in the last 24 hours: Yesterday, President Bush made calls from Air Force One to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Lithuanian President Adamkus, and President Kaczynski of Poland. Following last night’s statement in the Rose Garden, he also spoke with Georgian President Saakashvili. This morning, President Bush talked to Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi and Chancellor Merkel of Germany.
At 1.15 pm, the President will meet with the Coalition for Affordable American Energy. (more…)

Daniel Fried, assistant secretary of state in European and Eurasian Affairs, encourages Russia to share energy and oil with the rest of the world in economic moderation. (1:10)

 

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At a meeting today sponsored by the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, Daniel Fried, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasia Affairs, spoke on the potential actions of the new Medvedev administration.

Dmitri Medvedev took office Wednesday as Russia’s third president. Medvedev officially elected Vladimir Putin as prime minister. Fried discussed the future actions of the United States in reference to the new administration and discussed what changes could occur. (more…)

Aboard Air Force One

En route Kiyv, Ukraine

9:35 A.M. EDT

MS. PERINO: Before I introduce Steve Hadley, who is right behind me, the National Security Advisor, who is going to give you a little bit of a gaggle here, two announcements. Obviously we’re on our way to Ukraine. I know you always want me to tell you where we’re going. (Laughter.) (more…)

The Center for Strategic International Studies (CSIS) held a press briefing discussing President Bush’s upcoming trip to the NATO summit. The panel leading the hearing investigated the effectiveness NATO, soon to celebrate its sixtieth anniversary, has had in policing the world, American involvement in Afghanistan, European involvement in Kosovo, missile defense, and the possible admittance of new nations into NATO.

Janusz Bugajski, director of the CSIS New European Democracies Project, emphasized how Membership Action Plans (MAPS) are sometimes successful, but limited, guidelines for the three nations trying to become allied with NATO to follow. As Bugajski cautioned, MAPS is not always effective for hopeful nations trying to gain admittance into the alliance.

Bugajski noted that US and Russian tension might “reach a head” over Ukraine’s possible admission into NATO. While President Bush is seen as a strong supporter of NATO enlargement, Vladimir Putin’s Russia, Bugajski explained, sees Ukraine’s entrance as an undercut in their strategy to influence Ukrainians.