The New York Times: “Russia’s crisis holds both risk and opportunity”

By Vestnik Kavkaza

The New York Times today proposed a plan of how to save the Russian economy in its article “Rapprochement With Russia?”. 
President Vladimir Putin has attempted to minimize the difficulties and deflect blame toward the West. Painful sanctions were brought against Russia that reinforced its dependence on oil and isolated its economy. Yet Russia’s crisis holds both risk and opportunity. The roots of the ruble crisis are twofold, brought on by the decline in global oil prices, which sharply cut Russian state revenues and made the national budget untenable, and by the impact of sanctions that the United States and the European Union have imposed.
Reducing these risks and seizing the opportunity, the crisis presents calls for a comprehensive policy that offers phased sanctions relief but also includes enhanced deterrence and a renewed commitment to Ukraine’s independence. The breakdown of peace talks in Minsk last week only makes the need for a truly comprehensive package more urgent. It would include these basic elements:
• Russia would fully comply with the September Minsk agreement on Eastern Ukraine
• NATO would continue to strengthen its deterrent posture in Eastern Europe to hedge against increased risk to its members
• As part of a broader deal, Ukraine would have to recognize publicly that it is not currently prepared for NATO membership
• Russia would have to accept a closer Ukrainian relationship with the European Union
Even as the Minsk talks collapsed, Russia agreed to continue providing Ukraine with coal and electricity, a sign that Moscow may still be seeking a deal. “We think this package would offer Russia a brighter economic future along with recognition of Russia’s enduring importance to the West,” the New York Times writes.

“Alexei Navalny detained after breaking house arrest to join rally in Moscow” is the title of an article published today by the Guardian. Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was arrested on Tuesday after breaking house arrest to join an opposition rally in Moscow, hours after a court gave him a suspended sentence for fraud. His brother Oleg was jailed for three and a half years for the same offence. Both men were found guilty of stealing 30m roubles (about £334,000 under the current exchange rate) from the French cosmetics company Yves Rocher. The European Union said the convictions seemed to be politically motivated, while calling for restraint during any protests against the verdict. In 2013 he came second in Moscow’s mayoral election, winning 27% of the vote. On Tuesday, however, many seemed more concerned with shopping for New Year parties.

The Daily Mail wrote an article headlined “UN envoy to be represented at Jan 26-29 Syria talks in Moscow”. U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura will be represented at talks about Syria in Moscow next month, his spokeswoman said on Tuesday. Two rounds of Geneva talks early in 2014 failed to halt the conflict which has killed 200,000 people and divisions over the future role of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad remain a major stumbling block to a settlement. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said the talks would be a "warming up" before a potential third round of Geneva talks. Moscow has long supported Assad, including with arms supplies, and he became a more important ally after the Arab Spring protests toppled other Middle Eastern leaders.
Moscow has repeated a proposal that Assad stay in power for two years with a provisional government, before presidential elections in which he could stand again along with other candidates, the diplomat said.

Another article in the Daily Mail is called “Russia says new U.S. sanctions may hamper dialogue on Iran, Syria”. Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that a widening of U.S. sanctions against Moscow this week may hamper bilateral cooperation on issues such as Iran's nuclear programme and the Syrian crisis.  "The actions by the United States are putting in doubt the prospects of bilateral cooperation on solving the situation around the Iranian nuclear programme, the Syrian crisis and other acute international problems," the ministry said. "As Washington could have seen previously, we don't leave such unfriendly acts without an answer," the statement added.

Another article in the Daily Mail, dedicated to Iran, is  “U.S. names more Iran targets for sanctions “The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on nine new targets, saying the entities and people targeted had supported Iran's efforts to avoid sanctions and backed the government's human rights abuses, including censorship. The newly named targets include five people and one entity for their role in helping the Iranian government buy or acquire U.S. currency, according to the department. U.S. officials also named two Iranian companies, Douran Software Technologies and Abyssec, for their role in supporting Iran's human rights abuses, according to the department.