Russia aims to modernise without compromise

Commentary feature. What seems to bind the two themes of security and modernisation together in the Russia of today is a desire in the Kremlin to come in from the cold. But what is equally clear is that any return to warmer relations with the west should not do anything to disturb the power structure in Moscow or its regional sphere of influence.

Russia wants to engage, but entirely on its own terms. It wants investment without excessive reform. It wants a security deal that largely ignores the sovereign choices of its neighbours. That is likely to be too high a price for the rest of Europe to pay.