"Power Games: How Russia's Efforts to Expand Its Sphere of Influence are Being Countered by the West".

Russia's position as a leading energy supplier to the EU and countries in the surrounding region has given it the confidence to aggressively pursue the reestablishment of its previous sphere of influence. To do so, it has mounted a multifaceted campaign aimed at weakening democratization processes in neighboring countries, straining regional alliances, and destabilizing relations between members of the EU. This paper examines Russia's strategy as it has been implemented, as well as the West's response to various aspects of it. Findings show, that while Russia's hostile policies toward its neighbors initially received a variety of responses, they have increasingly served as a catalyst for greater policy coordination among countries of the West. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]