The Russian regime under President Vladimir Putin has embarked on a coherent long-term strategy to regain its influence over former satellites and to limit Western penetration in key parts of this region. Moscow is intent on steadily rebuilding Russia as a major power on the Eurasian stage and will use its neighbors as a springboard for expanding its dominance. In this first systematic analysis detailing Russia's post-Cold War imperialism, Bugajski challenges the contemporary equivalent of Cold War appeasement, which views Russia as a benign and pragmatic power that seeks cooperation and integration with the West.

JANUSZ BUGAJSKI is Director of the East European Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. He has served as a consultant for both government and private organizations and has lectured at numerous American and European universities. He chairs the South-Central Europe area studies program at the Foreign Service Institute, U.S. Department of State, and is the author or editor of several books on the region.

Introduction: Near or Temporary Abroad?
Russia's Foreign Policy Arsenal
Retaining a Union: Belarus and Kaliningrad
Regaining a Commonwealth: Ukraine and Moldova
Blocking Western Encroachment: The Baltic States
Neutralizing the Core: Central Europe
Exploiting Crisis: Adriatic Balkans
Exporting Influence: Black Sea Balkans
Conclusions: Looking Ahead