Lilia Shevtsova: Kremlin and the West – not a confrontation but a two pianos performance

“What kind of confrontation with the West can we talk about? No, everything is much more polyphonic and sly. And the current paradigm of Kremlin’s survival is to be with the West on the Russian conditions, be in the West, but at the same time to be against the West. It is like playing several pianos at a time,” – this opinion was expressed by Lilia Shevtsova,  Non-resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution (USA),  during the 9th Kyiv Security Forum, organized by Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation.

“It is not a matter of confrontation, because the men in the Kremlin are not suicide bombers. They know that NATO budget constitutes more than $ 900 billion, when that of Russia - about $ 80 billion with their GDP of about $ 2 trillion and the GDP of the NATO Member States is over 30 trillion,” – she added.

According to Lilia Shevtsova, now “the Kremlin is trying to implement a policy of isolation of its’ society from the West, and to be in Panama at the same time, as well as to be in London and continue to develop money laundering mechanisms”.

She is convinced that the idea of the Russian authorities is to entice the West into a new game. And this game is evident after two years of confrontation around Ukraine,” – says Lilia Shevtsova.

"In a few years we may see that Ukraine will become a key factor to show the outside world the ability of the system of Putin's Russia to expand, dictate rules. Ukraine can prove that there is a red line through which one cannot jump. Ukraine becomes a battlefield that can show the determination of the West to defend its’ principles,” – she said.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

The annual international event Kyiv Security Forum launched by Arseniy Yatsenyuk Foundation Open Ukraine in 2007 is a platform for debate on the most pressing security issues in Europe and the Black Sea Region.

Internet broadcast of the Forum:

9th Kyiv Security Forum (Ukrainian):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4bx8DXN4wk

9th KYIV SECURITY FORUM (ENGLISH)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEG5fdmhG2g