Support The Moscow Times!
Contribute today

Articles by Vladimir Frolov

opinion Vladimir Frolov

Strategic Procrastination: What’s Russia’s Game With Nuclear Signaling?

Moscow desperately needs to stop Ukraine’s counteroffensive. Russian troops are losing their combat effectiveness, barely hanging on to the territory...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Can Russia and NATO Come to an Agreement?

Is there a realistic format for a political undertaking not to expand NATO to Russia’s borders?
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Biden Called Putin a Killer. Will That Change Anything?

Although Moscow will show restraint in its foreign policy response to “Biden’s slam”, its response at home promises to be much tougher.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

How Russia Deals With the West After Navalny's Jailing

"Forgive the United States, ignore France and punish Germany," is Russia's newfound motto as pressure on the country rises.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

No Longer 'Ours': With a Biden White House, the Kremlin Is Facing a Tough New Reality

The problem for Moscow is not so much the deterioration of relations under Biden: it is the readiness of the White House to minimize these relations.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Trump Wants a Nuclear Deal. Why Is This Bad News for Moscow?

Russia is about to lose its exclusive channel of cooperation with the U.S.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Goodbye, Palestine! Why Trump’s ‘Peace Deal’ Is Good for Moscow

The U.S. plan pushes for recognition of annexed territories — a welcome precedent for Russia’s hold over Crimea.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Macron is 'Ours' — but Does Russia Need Him?

Russian observers are struck by how closely Macron’s views on European security and world order coincide with those of Putin.
Feature

What Did a Russian CIA Agent Achieve in the Kremlin?

The Smolenkov affair reignites talks of “Russian intervention.”
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia Rejoices Over Trump’s G7 Readmission Offer

But Putin doesn’t actually want to be part of the group anymore.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia-U.S.-Israel Meeting in Jerusalem Is Doomed to Fail. Here Is Why

Moscow would not mind helping Trump out, but it cannot serve as a provider of free geopolitical services to Washington.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Is Ready to Give Up Venezuela for the Right Price

Sergei Lavrov and Mike Pompeo will soon meet in Helsinki to discuss Venezuela's future.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

How Will the New President of Ukraine Build Relations With Russia?

In Ukrainian politics, Russia is still in the game, but don’t expect a return to pre-Maidan days.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Our Man in NATO: Why Putin Lucked Out With Recep Erdogan

Russia is on the verge of a resounding victory over NATO and the United States.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why Moscow Sent Its Military Personnel to Venezuela

Twenty years after NATO’s bombing of Yugoslavia, the Kremlin is anxious to disrupt U.S. influence in Venezuela.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia’s Superpower Status Teeters with INF Treaty (Op-ed)

The Kremlin can no longer tout its membership to an exclusive arms-control club.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

What to Expect From The Helsinki Summit (Op-ed)

The Kremlin’s expectations are high — too high, given the limited scope of the discussion.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Trump's Rants Won’t Unite the EU and Russia (Op-ed)

Russia gains from a United States weakened by Trump’s disruptive rhetoric.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

On North Korea, Trump Has Putin Playing Second Fiddle (Op-ed)

Moscow is pulling out all the stops to get a seat at the table.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why Russia Wants the Iran Nuclear Deal (Op-ed)

As far as Moscow is concerned, the Trump administration is about to shoot itself in the foot.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

What Comes After Tillerson’s Broken Promise to Russia? (Op-ed)

Pompeo’s stance on some major issues may not be of comfort to Russia.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

For Russia, There’s No Way Out of Syria (Op-ed)

Syrian President Bashar Assad has trapped Russia into fighting til the bitter end.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why the Directors of Russia’s Intelligence Agencies Visited Washington (Op-ed)

Confidential contact between the U.S. and Russia is the best hope for restoring relations.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why the Iran Protests Have Russia on Edge (Op-ed)

For the Kremlin, instability in Iran carries a widening range of existential threats.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Flynn’s Guilty Plea Entrenches Already Rock-Bottom Russia Ties (Op-ed)

The relationship between Washington and Moscow was already at a historic low
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Is Gunning for the Syrian Finish Line (Op-ed)

If Russia’s frantic peacemaking efforts fail, it will not be for lack of trying
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Two Years on, the Stakes of Russia's War in Syria Are Piling (Op-ed)

Russia may have helped Assad win the war, but crucial decisions lie ahead
opinion Vladimir Frolov

In Ukraine, Russia Wants Political Control, Not Territory (Op-ed)

A meeting between Moscow's and Washington's top envoys on Ukraine exposes fault lines
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia's Response to Sanctions Shows Restraint (Op-ed)

The expulsions allow Russia to signal displeasure without doing serious harm. But that could change.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

In Trump’s Russia Affair, The Dust Never Seems to Settle (Op-ed)

Last week, it was revelations of an undisclosed meeting between senior Trump campaign officials, including the president’s son and son-in-law, and a...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin and Trump Talked. But Don’t Bet on Real Change (Op-ed)

Anything other than a presidential brawl would have passed as a diplomatic breakthrough.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

On the Cheap and for the Elite: Great Power as the New Legitimacy

Russia’s foreign policy reinvented itself in mid-2012 after Vladimir Putin’s return to the presidency. His third term has been almost entirely consumed...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Tillerson’s Russia Strategy May Look Too Much Like Obama’s (Op-ed)

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is working hard to save what remains of the U.S.-Russia relationship.

New U.S. Sanctions on Russia Jeopardize Trump - Putin Dialogue (Op-ed)

President Putin has two options: retaliate in kind, and forfeit hopes for repairing ties with Washington, or risk being exposed as weak in defense of Russia’s...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russian Hacking Allegations Could Get Putin Reelected (Op-ed)

Vladimir Putin danced circles around U.S. television host Megyn Kelly on June 5, deflecting her questions on Russia’s meddling in U.S. presidential election...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why Russia Won't Cave to Western Demands (Op-ed)

Russia won’t agree to the West’s conditions for reconciliation — at least not in an election year.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Moscow's Failed French Election Gambit (Op-Ed)

Russia's media attacks on French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron are a political fumble. It didn't have to be this way.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia Has Backed Itself Into a Corner in Syria

The chemical attack in Idlib changed everything. Trump’s personal position on Syria and Assad has shifted radically, military action is now on the table...

Breaching Protocol: Why Did Putin Meet Le Pen in Moscow? (Op-Ed)

Putin has shown the Russian public that the Kremlin has allies in Europe who support its worldview.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia Wants to Be a Deal-Maker in Libya

Reports that Russia has deployed special forces to a military base in Egypt to assist Libyan National Army general Khalifa Haftar come as no surprise....

Why Trump’s New Ambassador to Russia is a Welcome Choice for the Kremlin

The upcoming appointment of Jon Huntsman, former governor of Utah and previously U.S. ambassador to China, for the role of U.S. ambassador to Russia, if...

It’s Time to Make Nuclear Arms Control Great Again

Moscow is intent linking deals with Trump into a “grand bargain” where Russia’s interests in Ukraine and European security would crowd out nuclear...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

The Art of a Raw Deal (Op-ed)

Any deal Trump makes with Putin would amount to a fire sale of U.S. foreign policy interests
opinion Vladimir Frolov

A Test for Donald Trump in the Donbass (Op-Ed)

Washington appears to be moving toward decoupling sanctions on Russia from the Kremlin's implementation of its political obligations in Donbass.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

It Started With a Call

Presidents Trump and Putin lay the foundations of a new partnership that could upend the global order.

Moscow Pivots From Combatant to Peacemaker in Syria (Op-Ed)

The challenge for Moscow now is to find viable levers of control over the Syrian regime and its Iranian backers to enforce the ceasefire and pressure all...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia vs. The Global Order: What Will Trump's Divided Administration Do About It?

If Moscow plays its cards right and does not get too pushy, it could get Trump do Russia's work in terms of disrupting US alliances and weakening US power...

The New Axis: Russia, Turkey and Iran Take Over Syria

This is Putin’s personal revenge on Obama for having labeled Russia a “declining” and “regional” power. With the Russia-Turkey-Iran axis, it...

The Aftermath: What Russia Will Do After the Assassination of Its Envoy

Russia can secure now its role as the new kingmaker in the Middle East, displacing the United States as the region’s indispensable power

Why Aleppo’s Gruesome Fall Puts Syria’s Fate in Moscow’s Hands

Either Russia indulges the ambitions of Syria’s president Bashar Assad to continue with his military campaign aimed at wiping out the Syrian opposition...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia’s New Foreign Policy — A Show of Force and Power Projection (Op-ed)

Militarization is now Moscow’s most effective foreign policy tool
opinion Vladimir Frolov

How the Kremlin Could Cash In on Trump's Foreign Policy Disarray

Overall, Russia’s preliminary assessment of Trump’s emerging national security team is leaning toward weak and dysfunctional, compared to Moscow’s...

The Art Of The Deal: Russia Is Keen For Trump's Ad Hoc Diplomacy

Although Republican control over both houses of Congress may mean a repeal of Obama’s domestic legacy, on foreign policy, particularly on U.S.-Russia...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

No Miracle After Berlin meeting: Ukraine Deadlocked, Putin Stands Ground on Syria

Merkel and Hollande had only one card to play - the threat of new sanctions on Russia over its bombing in Syria. Moscow correctly read this as bluster...

Russian Spycraft: How the Kremlin Hacked Its Way Into a Crisis

It is unlikely that the Kremlin really hoped to influence the results of the U.S. presidential election or viewed Donald Trump’s victory as likely. This...

Into the Trap: How U.S. Risks Direct Confrontation With Russia in Syria

With a Russian-backed offensive in eastern Aleppo underway, a direct military confrontation between Russia and the United States is no longer the stuff...

Why Is Moscow Bombing Its Way Out of Cooperation With U.S. in Syria?

It is hard to escape the impression that Russia has decided this week to bomb its way out of its most important diplomatic achievement — the Kerry-Lavrov...

Will New U.S.-Russia Deal on Syria Prove a Game Changer?

The new U.S.-Russia deal on the Syrian ceasefire could be a game changer in international efforts to end the bloody war in Syria. Or the deal, the product...

The Final Encounter: Obama and Putin Meet for the Last Time

Russian President Vladimir Putin heads to the G20 summit in Hangzhou, China, on Sept. 4 to lock in his geopolitical gains in a private meeting with U.S...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

How Terror Attacks Gift Russia Foreign Policy Opportunity

Russia has waged a war on terror at home and abroad. But when Moscow calls for joining forces with the West to combat global terrorism, it inevitably pursues...

A Modest Deal: Vladimir Putin’s New Détente

Moscow has been taking stock of its forceful policies to reassert Russia’s status as a great global power and to roll back the expansion of Western institutions...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia Looks On as Ukraine Hangs in the Balance (Op-Ed)

The horse-trading that accompanied the resignation of Ukrainian Prime Minister Yatsenyuk on April 10 may seem surprising to many post-Soviet leaders...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

The Spy Game: What Moscow Really Wants From Savchenko Exchange

Few should be surprised that the Kremlin has floated a proposal to exchange Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, recently sentenced to 22 years in prison...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Mission Incomplete: Syria Has Not Achieved Bipolar World for Russia

Perhaps the best way to describe the results of Russia’s military intervention in Syria after President Vladimir Putin’s surprise announcement that...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia Loses Its Trump Card

Republican voters in Iowa may have thwarted Russian President Vladimir Putin's wish to see the "doubtlessly talented" Donald Trump as the next U.S...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Bogged Down in the Middle East, Russia Loses Honest Broker Image

Saudi Arabia cut off diplomatic and trade ties with Iran in retaliation for the provocative ransacking of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran by what appeared...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Seeks Entente Cordiale With the West (Op-Ed)

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not the type of leader who wastes a geopolitical opportunity. This is his way of making foreign policy.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Is Angling for a Quick Exit From Syria

Russian President Vladimir Putin is pivoting to diplomacy on Syria to capitalize on the perception of Russia's military success after four weeks of air...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Syria Is Further Souring U.S.-Russian Relations

The U.S.-Russia relationship has been in the doldrums since early 2014 over Russia's shenanigans in Ukraine, but Moscow's dive into Syria's civil war...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Chooses Simple, Dangerous Plan in Syria

President Vladimir Putin's Syrian gambit has catapulted the Russian leader to the center of international diplomacy, winning him a much-coveted bilateral...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Kremlin Must Tread Very Carefully in Syria

President Vladimir Putin is continuing to provide Syria with military equipment and military experts.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

A Desperate Kremlin Misreads Washington

The sense of desperation was conveyed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's awkward statement last week that Moscow would view positively a U...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Kremlin Is Caught in A Trap With Minsk-2

The Kremlin is watching the implementation of the Minsk-2 agreement nervously. The agreement is failing to deliver on Russia's policy goals in Ukraine...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Must Focus on Thinking Long-Term

With President Vladimir Putin engrossed in matters of history, religion, geopolitics and war, a sense of strategic drift is unnerving the nation's...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Why Obama and Putin Are Tied to Each Other

The Kremlin will milk for what it is worth U.S. President Barack Obama's "encouragement" with Moscow's "cooperative compartmentalization" on the Iran...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Will Moscow Push for Settlement in Ukraine?

Moscow is sending conflicting signals about its plans for Ukraine. For once, there are signs it is seeking an honorable exit and a comprehensive settlement...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Was Kudrin Offering Putin a Graceful Exit?

Is former Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin offering President Vladimir Putin a graceful exit? This may be the logic behind Kudrin's call last week for an...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Will the Transdnestr Crisis Force Russia Into War?

The West should help defuse a potentially explosive situation over Russia's military access to the self-proclaimed republic of Transdnestr which is...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Kiev Can Save Donbass By Ditching Crimea

The West has now engaged Moscow in a delicate diplomatic dance to reach a lasting political settlement in Ukraine.
opinion Vladimir Frolov

The Kremlin Has No Plans for the Future

With Russia facing a lost decade of economic stagnation that would reduce its share of global gross domestic product to less than 2 percent, President...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Has Putin Played All His Cards in Ukraine?

The Kremlin is desperately seeking Western help, even calling upon U.S. President Obama to join the Normandy format, to pressure Kiev to reintegrate...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

U.S. Must Step Up and Help Out on Ukraine

Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko told Bloomberg recently that without high-profile American involvement there could be no stability in Ukraine...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

What Will the Kremlin Do Next in Ukraine?

With the Minsk II agreement stalled and EU sanctions tied to its full implementation, it is getting increasingly hard to see Moscow's endgame in Ukraine...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Kadyrov, FSB at War After Nemtsov Death

The Chechen connection to the assassination of Russia's opposition leader Boris Nemtsov is pushing Russia's spooks into political battles they would...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Has Unleashed Dangerous Extremism

The brazen assassination of Boris Nemtsov, a central figure in Russia's opposition movement, should give Russian President Vladimir Putin pause before...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Minsk Deal Is Playing Into Moscow's Hands

The best that could be said about the Minsk II agreement is that it allows Russia to pursue its strategic objectives in Ukraine through means other than...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

It's Impossible to Find Good Spies These Days

While Russia's counter-intelligence agents were busy arresting a mother of seven from Vyazma and having her indicted for high treason for calling...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Is in No Hurry to Resolve Ukraine Crisis

As European Union foreign ministers meet this week to discuss possible ways forward with Russia to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, they may have to contemplate...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia's Foreign Policy Shoots Itself in the Foot

2014 has been a terrible year for Russia's foreign policy. For the first time in 15 years the country's international position has been significantly...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Can Putinism Have a Future Without Putin?

Deputy Kremlin chief of staff Vyacheslav Volodin announced last week the advent of "Putin's era" — a period of unshaken political stability lasting...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Will Continue to Fight Dirty in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not looking for an easy exit from the Ukraine conflict. He is digging in for the long haul to secure his end goal:...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Despite Putin's Rhetoric, No New World Order

President Vladimir Putin's call for a new world order to end U.S. global hegemony has generated some catchy headlines, but as a policy initiative it...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Russia Is Trying to End Sanctions and Save Face

The Kremlin is currently engaged in a delicate diplomatic dance to get Western sanctions lifted without creating an appearance of ever asking for it...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Border Control Is Vital For Ukrainian Stability

As President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Petro Poroshenko, prepare for their face-to-face meeting in Milan later this week, their...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Web Crackdown Will Hurt Ordinary Russians

While the Kremlin is seriously considering cutting the country off from the global Internet, an obscure piece of legislation is likely to prove no...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Would Russia Be Better Off Under a Monarchy?

Vladimir Zhirinovsky often speaks truth to power. His recent initiative to dispense with direct presidential elections and anoint Vladimir Putin the country's...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Almost All Outcomes in Ukraine Will Suit Putin

At a pro-Kremlin youth camp at Lake Seliger on Friday, President Vladimir Putin said it was imperative to force Kiev to end its military operations...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin's One-Man Rule Favors Luck Over Logic

To an outside observer, Russia may appear to be punching above its geopolitical weight in Ukraine. Despite appearances though, the Kremlin's policy-making...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

Putin Needs Kudrin's Help in Ukraine Crisis

As President Vladimir Putin contemplates the unraveling of his international stature over the Ukraine debacle and gropes around for a "no retreat...
opinion Vladimir Frolov

MH17 Ends Russia's Dreams of Soft Power

Moscow's reaction to the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 and the latest round of U.S. sanctions reveals signs of disarray over the strategic...