Putin’s Russia and regional threats discussed by top foreign experts in Tbilisi

David Kramer, United States (US) ex- Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor and Kathryn Stoner, director of International Policy Studies at Stanford University, held a lecture at Ilia  State University in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi today. 

The topic of the lecture was Putin’s Russia:  Current Developments and Regional Security Threats, where the two top experts spoke about the recent situation in Russia and the treats the country imposed for its neighbors and the wider world. 

The experts highlighted the Georgian progress and democratic achievements in multiple directions and stressed that the country’s firm standing on the democratic path would be a major point for the international community to support Georgia. 

In her speech Stoner touched on the current situation in Russia in a range of directions and emphasised that the country faced "critical" 2016-2017 years. 

The expert stressed that Russia’s "oil-based” economy would have to encounter with serious drawbacks in the coming years. 

She also spoke about the poor situation in Russia in terms of human rights’ protection, rule of law, media freedom and in various directions providing unfavourable situation in the country. 

However, it should be noted that the economic complications in Russia made the country even more aggressive,” she said. 

Kathryn Stoner is Director of International Policy Studies at Stanford University and Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies and its Center for Democracy, Development, and Rule of Law. Photo by Youtube.com. 

For his part, Kramer stated that the Russian Government created threat for its people, for its neighbours and for the rest world through provoking frozen conflicts and destabilisation.

The expert said that one of the motivations for triggering conflicts for Russia in its neighboring countries was to prevent the states, Ukraine and Georgia among them, to integrate into the Euro-Atlantic space. 

Putin is afraid to lose his grip on the areas,” he said. 

Speaking about the outcomes from the situation the expert emphasised the importance of international support to Georgia and some other countries facing Russian threats. 

The expert also mentioned the importance of supporting the countries to empower their defense capabilities and appreciating their already achieved progress. 

This year NATO summit should respect Georgia’s progress,” he said. 

Kramer praised Georgia for holding democratic elections and said that this year parliamentary elections would be of high importance. 

More you continue standing on a democratic path, more support you get from the international community,” he said. 

The experts also stressed that supporting of civil sector and population in Russia by the international community would also push positive changes in the country, as Russian Government was one thing and its population another.