Sections
Magazine
Latest Issue

While lockdowns were arguably necessary, Adam Wagner warns that when governments give themselves drastic powers, they don’t always give them back. Stephen Buranyi uncovers how Big Pharma is using its vaccine success to double down on profit rather than protect us. Gabriel Scally and Sunetra Gupta debate whether it's worth trying to eliminate Covid altogether. Plus: an interview with Carlo Rovelli, master of the universe, while Julia Bell explains how her ex-student got radicalised online.

Read Now Or Checkout the archive
Previous
April 2021
March 2021
January/February 2021
December 2020
Events
Next Event

Watch: How do we stop a generation from sleepwalking into retirement?

Previous
Watch: Homes for all—what new social and affordable housing can do for Britain
Watch: The 2020 Think Tank Awards Ceremony
Watch: What next for pensions? Why the 2020s are the crunch decade
To the archive
Podcast
Latest Episode

The Prospect Interview #174: The literary afterlives of Philip Roth

Previous
The Prospect Interview #174: The real Stephen Hawking, with Philip Ball
The Prospect Interview #173: Is UK democracy under threat?
The Prospect Interview #172: England’s robot curriculum
To the archive
Magazine Regulars The Duel World

Should we be afraid of Russia?

Is Vladimir Putin's Russia a threat to the liberal west? Our contributors duke it out

By Kendall and Lieven  
September 25, 2017
November 2017

Should we fear Putin’s Russia? Photo: PA

Bridget Kendall: Yes

If by “Russia” we mean President Vladimir Putin’s government and not the Russian people, and if “we” means western liberal democracies, then yes, I think it would be wise to fear the Russian bear.

I am not saying that Russia is a bigger threat than Islamic jihadists or North Korea. But nor do I accept that Russia is benign. It could be an important collaborator. Instead at the moment it seems bent on being a dangerous disrupter.

You know…

Register today to continue reading

You’ve hit your limit of three articles in the last 30 days. To get seven more, simply enter your email address below.

You’ll also receive our free e-book Prospect’s Top Thinkers 2020 and our newsletter with the best new writing on politics, economics, literature and the arts.

Prospect may process your personal information for our legitimate business purposes, to provide you with newsletters, subscription offers and other relevant information.

Click here to learn more about these purposes and how we use your data. You will be able to opt-out of further contact on the next page and in all our communications.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to letters@prospect-magazine.co.uk

Kendall and Lieven

Bridget Kendall is Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge. Anatol Lieven is a professor at Georgetown University in Qatar

More From Prospect