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Mirror Images: The Standoff between Moscow and Western Capitals
Russia and the West are mired in mutual mistrust, sinking deeper with each contretemps in the post-Soviet space and every round of sanctions punishing perceived Russian malfeasance.
- Magdalena Grono
- ICG
A rapprochement appears unlikely soon, so both sides must open channels to avert confrontations where their interests collide.
Relations between Russia and the West are at a perilous juncture.
The two sides’ narratives on major issues of the day – for instance, the future of Crimea or the wars in eastern Ukraine and Syria – are so disparate as to be mirror images of one another.
Where Moscow sees beleaguered co…