Lionel Martin
Lionel Martin is an expert on Russia.
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Articles by Lionel Martin
RUSSIA AND CHINA: DO OIL AND WEAPONS MAKE A MARRIAGE?
Russo-Chinese relations in 2004 were not all sweetness and light. Moscow's destruction of Yukos and preference for a Japanese rather than a Chinese pipeline in Siberia put severe pressure on
PUTIN IN TURKEY: THE UNENDING QUEST FOR MULTIPOLARITY
Russian President Vladimir Putin made last week's unprecedented trip to Turkey for several reasons. First, trade, energy, and a shared interest in ensuring the security of the Black Sea and
RUSSIA AND INDIA: A STRONG PARTNERSHIP OR WANING FRIENDSHIP?
On December 3-4 Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a summit with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has already gone to India to lay the groundwork
MOSCOW RUNS INTERFERENCE FOR TEHRAN
Iran's nuclear program, especially its recent launch of a uranium enrichment process, could trigger a massive international crisis. Tehran has hitherto ignored European, Israeli, and American pressure to desist enrichment
Mistrust and Cooperation: Analyzing Sino-Indian Relations
A considerable degree of mistrust normally characterizes Sino-Indian relations. China sees India as a potential rival to its dreams of major power status in Asia and systematically tries to depreciate
MOSCOW AND RIYADH: DO OIL, RELIGION, AND ANTI-TERRORISM MIX?
As the price of oil soars above $50 a barrel, Saudi Arabia and Russia have begun to approach each other with a view to increase cooperation in stabilizing oil markets.
Russian Pipeline Projects Shifting To Favor Tokyo Over Beijing
While the battle for Yukos plays out in Moscow, another oil-related struggle continues to unfold on Russia's eastern frontier. China is currently facing energy shortages and brownouts at a time
Is Ukraine Selling Arms Under Moscow’s Directive?
A Ukrainian ship en route to Egypt was stopped and searched in Istanbul in June. Turkish officials found that the ship contained numerous items not listed on its manifest, including
In Sudan, Russia Chooses Money Over Humanitarianism
On July 21, the MiG Russian Aircraft Corporation dispatched two new MiG-29 fighters to Sudan, partly fulfilling an original contract for 12 fighters signed in 2001. MiG Corporation's spokesmen say
Sergei Lavrov Goes To Korea
The six-power negotiations over North Korean nuclearization have essentially two purposes. One obvious goal is to resolve peacefully and equitably the crisis generated by Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. The second,
Russia Continues To Turn A Blind Eye Toward Iran’s Nuclear Program
In June 2004 International Atomic Energy Agency Chairman Mohammad El Baradei announced that the Russian-built reactor at Bushehr was not the focus of Iran's nuclear program (Yahoo.com, June 30). This
Russia And The North Korean Nuclear Negotiations
Evidently Russia wants to intensify its role at the six-power talks on North Korea's nuclear program. But it is doing so by carving out a position at odds with Washington's
Russian Response To Proliferation Treaty Will Say Much About Policy
American and Japanese reports state that Russia is expected to join the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) against proliferation at sea and in the air. Russia's Foreign and Defense Ministries have