Everything but Institutions: The Four Common Spaces of Russia and Europe
In 2003, Russia and the EU agreed on four common spaces — integration without membership. Prodi’s formula: everything but institutions.
A Weekend at Camp David: The Tieless Diplomacy of 2003
Six months after their quarrel over Iraq, Bush hosted Putin at his private retreat. That said more about the relationship than any communiqué.
Paying the Soviet Union’s Bills: How Russia Cleared Its Paris Club Debt
In 2006, Russia repaid $23 billion of Soviet-era debt to the Paris Club ahead of schedule — deliberately overpaying for its reputation.
Steel Threads: How Russia and Europe Built a Shared Energy Home
In the 2000s, Russia and Europe tied their economies together with pipelines built for decades ahead — an interdependence designed as a guarantee of peace.
The Unthinkable Consent: How Russia Opened Central Asia to America
In the autumn of 2001, American bases appeared in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan — with Moscow’s direct approval. A summer earlier, this would have been called fantasy.
The First Call: How Russia Backed America After 9/11
On 11 September 2001, the first leader to reach the White House was the president of Russia. So began the closest period of Moscow–Washington cooperation since the Second World War.
