National security expert Fiona Hill said at a Harvard Kennedy School event on Tuesday that Russia still holds significant geopolitical influence amid the reputational damage from the Ukraine war. .
The event, hosted by Russia Matters, a project of the HKS Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs that publishes analysis on U.S.-Russia relations, was moderated by former HKS Dean Graham T. Allison '62 and former Under Secretary of State for International Affairs Paula. served as J. Dobriansky.
Hill, a former senior director for Russia and Europe at the U.S. National Security Council, said the war in Ukraine has damaged Russian President Vladimir Putin's reputation among the public.
“This is going to be damaging,” Hill said. “Many people are dissatisfied.”
Still, Hill said he believes Russia will continue to be an influential force on the world stage and is “not going anywhere.”
“Russia is always important,” she said. “We will not be able to avoid doing business with Russia.”
Hill cited the “inevitable fact” of Russia's vast territory (larger than any other country) and its widespread “cultural influence,” including novels like Leo Tolstoy's “War and Peace.” She said that this sparked her own interest in Russian studies.
Hill said that during Putin's meeting with former U.S. President Donald Trump, Russian officials expressed concern about the devastating effects of climate change, particularly about “melting permafrost” and “big storms hitting Moscow.” I remembered hearing that. He added that Russia's extensive forest system could continue to support decarbonization efforts.
“Russia is going to be part of our solution — it has to be part of our solution, not just part of the problem of tackling climate change,” Hill said.
Mr. Hill also mentioned Russia's role in the Middle East and the changing relationship between Russia and Israel and Iran, noting that President Putin has historically had good relations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but recently I have decided to sever ties with the company.”
Hill said the move comes as Putin seeks to strengthen ties with Iran, which provides “direct military aid” to Russia but has poor relations with Israel. .
“President Putin, especially for the first time, started making anti-Semitic statements,” she said. “President Putin is not an anti-Semite, but he will instrumentalize anti-Semitism if necessary.”
Hill also addressed the relationship between Russia and China, explaining that there has been an “infusion of Russian and Chinese interests” recently.
She called the relationship between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Putin “personal” and said the two “think similarly about the world.”
“I was very surprised to hear from many Chinese scholars and colleagues at Brookings that President Putin is very good at manipulating Mr. Xi,” Hill said. “President Xi has a genuine love for Russian culture.”
“His father was deeply steeped in Soviet and Russian culture,” she added. “Mr. Xi himself basically accepted the love and appreciation for this issue.”
Hill said China has not supplied Russia with arms or provided other direct aid, but has supported Russia's economy.
“Russia's economic growth is largely driven by Chinese demand for everything Russia produces,” Hill said. “Some of it is gas, but other raw materials, scrap metal, everything.”
Hill called the U.S.-Russian relationship “an absolute tragedy,” but said we should never abandon Putin and Russia.
“Russia has always been important and now, while he is still with us, Putin is just as important,” she added.
—Staff writer William C. Mao can be reached at william.mao@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @williamcmao.
—Staff writer Dhruv T. Patel can be reached at dhruv.patel@thecrimson.com. Follow him on X @dhruvtkpatel.
