Publisher's Synopsis
The Russian Federation remains fragile economically and politically unstable; the maintenance of democracy is by no means assured. Divisions inherited from the former Soviet system have been exacerbated considerably during a process of political and economic change. Western policy has been to encourage democracy and economic reform, not least because of fears of possible disintegration of the Russian state with negative consequences for international stability. Yet western states are critical of Russian use of force in the Near Abroad and reject outright Russian opposition to an increased role for western institutions in central Europe.
