Articles by Roland Nash



Putin Bets on Pragmatism

Russia never got very far by defining itself as either pro- or anti-Western. It is now attempting to be more pragmatic. It may look cynical in London or Washington, but it might reflect the recognition in Moscow that the world has changed.

Medvedev's Window of Opportunity

For the market, the postelection period began when Vladimir Putin used his first speech as prime minister to announce his plans to lower taxation for the oil sector.

Self-Interest and British-Russian Relations

In early 2000, the British Embassy in Moscow took a bit of a gamble. They persuaded then-Prime Minister Tony Blair to meet with the new face in the Kremlin and heir apparent -- then-acting President Vladimir Putin. This was one of Blair's first major foreign policy initiatives.

With a Bang, Not a Whimper

For a regime facing its final year in power, President Vladimir Putin's Kremlin has been remarkably active so far in 2007.

The Birth of a Bubble?

There's a telling story, not mine unfortunately, which encapsulates the feeding frenzy of the last great Russian equity bubble in 1997.

Charm and Consumerism Work Wonders

Anybody watching President Vladimir Putin sipping from a teacup during three hours of questions on Tuesday could not have failed to be struck by his composure and confidence. Here was a president in full control of his brief, whether it was a softball question on living standards or a more delicate inquiry over military conscription. Putin, the man in control, was defending Russia's territorial integrity in the Kuril Islands one moment and fixing the plumbing for pensioners in Stavropol the next.

Rhetoric and Reality

For the fourth year in succession, President Vladimir Putin has given a marvelous state of the nation address.

Beyond BP -- What Lessons for Investors?

BP's deal with TNK illustrates how pragmatism can triumph over the most frustrating of experiences.


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