How to Counter Putin's Designs on East Europe

How to Counter Putin's Designs on East Europe

The invasions in Crimea and Georgia represent a pattern of Russian strategic behavior in which a rapid, limited military thrust is followed by a cessation of hostilities to await mediation and consolidation of gains in the post-conflict settlement. This 'jab and pause' strategy has been used by predatory states for centuries to achieve low-cost expansion. It is particularly useful for a power like Russia in avoiding unwinnable confrontations while exploiting inevitable Western divisions in the complicated clean-up, as was the case in Georgia. It works especially well with Western interlocutors who are willing to pay a high price for Russian cooperation to avoid jeopardizing delicate deals elsewhere.

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