National Endowment For Democracy

How Obama should handle Russia and the Putin factor

President Obama has before him an opportunity to promote U.S. values and a more comprehensive policy toward Russia because of the political and economic needs of Vladimir Putin and his "court." The right action now will promote U.S. interests, arguably the interests of the Russian people, and make it possible for the United States to have a better relationship with what we hope will be a more democratic Russian government in the not too distant future.

Russia's Prime Minister and de facto power center, Putin, currently finds his position not as stable as he'd like it to be. Poll numbers for his party remain low, cynicism remains high, all around him many of the world's autocrats and corrupt regimes are collapsing or wobbling, and the Russian economy and standard of living is stagnating even in a time of high oil prices.

This perhaps explains Russia's renewed effort to gain entrance into the WTO. This is good news in and of itself as free trade is a boon to all countries, but the U.S. policy should not be simply to say "amen" and push for Russia's accession with no other considerations. Russia's desire to join the WTO is just one of several levers that the president can use as part of a strategy to support Russia's becoming a more democratic country and the delegitimization of those trying to return it to tsarism.

The strategy the president should pursue could be comprised of three parts. First, a "reset" on U.S. policy toward Russia in terms of how we react to the government's treatment of dissidents and democratic activists. This effort is actually already in motion in that the president plans to nominate Michael McFaul to be the next ambassador to the Russian Federation. Dr. McFaul is a well-known and respected expert on Russia; but more importantly, he is an expert on democratic development and a firm supporter of same. His nomination alone sends a strong signal that the Obama administration is serious about its concerns regarding Russian politics. McFaul should go to Moscow with the full backing of the president to be an influential voice for democratic governance; he should be instructed to meet with dissidents and democratic activists. The timing is excellent: some of the best known democratic leaders in Russia have formed a new party and petitioned the government to allow it to participate officially. The U.S. position should be clear that such a party should be welcomed. Perhaps Putin will grasp that doing this makes Russia look good for WTO purposes if he needs a reason beyond just doing the right thing.

President Obama Will Meet Recipients of NED 2011 Democracy A ...

This award is very special because we're not just honoring two individuals," said NED president Carl Gershman. "Through these two young people, we honor all those in Egypt and Tunisia who struggled and even gave their lives for freedom and dignity.  Because there's a long struggle for democracy that still lies ahead, it's important that we demonstrate our solidarity with all those who continue to fight for democracy in Egypt and Tunisia and throughout the Middle East." Jamel Bettaieb is a Tunisian activist, teacher, and trade unionist from Sidi Bouzid, the hometown of Mohammed Bouazizi, the unemployed fruit vendor who burned himself to death after being humiliated by the police, igniting Tunisia's revolution. An active member of the recent Tunisian protest movement and labor union activities, Bettaieb was born in Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia in 1981. He is a professor of German at the Sidi Bouzid Institute and is an active member of the "Secondary Education Union," part of the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT). Mr. Bettaeib is the Sidi Bouzid representative of the Tunisian Observatory for Trade Union Rights and Freedoms, and describes himself as an "independent progressive" without a party affiliation. NED Chairman Richard A. Gephardt will preside at the award presentation, which will take place at a Capitol Hill reception in room B-369 of the Rayburn House Office Building from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. on June 22.  Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Robert Burns will also speak at the event, along with several members of Congress.  The Award ceremony will be preceded by a roundtable discussion: "Beyond the Arab Spring: The Continuing Struggle for Democracy in the Middle East," at 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. in room 2255 Rayburn House Office Building.

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