Center for Russia and Eurasia

The RAND Center for Russia and Eurasia (CRE) brings together experts from across RAND to shed light on the foreign policies, domestic developments, and economic relationships of the countries that succeeded the Soviet Union. Whether it's Russian defense planning, foreign investment in Ukraine, or assistance programs in Central Asia and the Caucasus, RAND researchers leverage multidisciplinary tools, deep regional knowledge, and a wealth of substantive expertise in economics, security, health, education, and other areas to improve understanding and policy both for those in the region and for those engaging it.

CRE also houses the RAND Business Leaders Forum (RBLF), a membership organization that convenes a select group of executives and policymakers from the United States, Russia, and Europe for dialogue on the broad array of strategic issues that face their countries and their companies.

Recent Commentary

  • Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev (L) and U.S. President Ronald Reagan begin their mini-summit talks in Reykjavik, October 11, 1986, photo by Mal Langsdon/Reuters

    Reagan's Cold War Lessons for Handling Russia

    Aug 9, 2019

    Rising public protests in Russia may be putting the Kremlin on the defensive at home. But Moscow is playing offense abroad, challenging the West more than at any time since Ronald Reagan's presidency. Reagan's strategy to counter the Kremlin back then offers insights that could help guide U.S. policy today.

  • View of the U.S. Capitol Building, photo by SurangaWeeratunga/AdobeStock

    RAND's Summer Reading List for Congress

    Aug 5, 2019

    For busy staff, August's respite from back-to-back meetings, hearing preparation, and late votes is hard-earned. The summer recess also provides an opportunity to get ahead of issues that will resurface in the fall. To that end, we have compiled recent RAND research on topics likely to top the congressional agenda come September.

  • Steam rises from the chimneys of a thermal power plant behind the Ivan the Great Bell Tower in Moscow, Russia January 9, 2018, photo by Maxim Shemetov/Reuters

    Cyber Threats from the U.S. and Russia Are Now Focusing on Civilian Infrastructure

    Jul 23, 2019

    For years, Russia and the United States have been targeting each other's infrastructure through cyberattacks. But the aggression and scope of these operations now seem unprecedented. What are the best options for U.S. policymakers?

  • A portion of a city model glows red indicating a cyber threat to infrastructure at the DarkMatter booth during the Black Hat information security conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, July 26, 2017

    Fighting and Winning the Undeclared Cyber War

    Jun 24, 2019

    Russia has executed deliberate intrusions into U.S. critical infrastructure since at least 2011. These systems have included government entities, commercial facilities, water resource plants, and aviation institutions. What actions or policies can the U.S. execute to improve security?

  • U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov shake hands prior to their talks in Sochi, Russia, May 14, 2019, pU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov shake hands prior to their talks in Sochi, Russia, May 14, 2019

    Can Washington and Moscow Agree to Limit Political Interference?

    Jun 13, 2019

    After his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in May, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia had proposed a mutual non-interference pledge. The concept of elaborating norms of non-interference on a mutual basis might be the best way to stabilize U.S.-Russian relations and prevent the damaging episodes of recent years from happening again.

  • Members of Russia's National Guard block participants of a rally in support of detained Russian investigative journalist Ivan Golunov in Moscow, Russia, June 12, 2019, photo by Maxim Shemetov/Reuters

    A Democratic Spring Could Be Stirring in Eurasia. The West's Quiet Support Can Help

    Jun 13, 2019

    An incipient Eurasian “democratic spring” may not yet be on the horizon, but political awareness and civil society are gaining ground. The West could contribute by continuing to help to fill information vacuums, and by offering training and support for nurturing civil society, conducting free and fair elections, and developing competitive politics.

  • U.S. President Ronald Reagan (R) and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev sign the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty in the White House, Washington, DC, December 8, 1987, photo by Str Old/Reuters

    What Ronald Reagan Can Teach Us About Dealing with Contemporary Russia

    May 13, 2019

    Politics loves its historical analogies and today, perhaps, there is no more common a comparison to the Trump presidency than the Reagan administration. Reagan's tenure was marked by his successful competition with the Soviet Union. Does Reagan provide a blueprint for triumphing over modern Russia?

More commentary from CRE researchers »