Author

The crisis of democracy in the West is not the result of falling in love with another system. In Europe and America people who are disillusioned with democracy do not dream about the Chinese model or any other form of authoritarian rule. They do not dream about government that controls Internet and puts in prison those daring to disagree.

From Ivan Krastev

Any unveiling is also veiling. No matter how transparent our governments want to be, governments will be selectively transparent.

From Ivan Krastev

In 2008, Putin's message was, 'We aren't like a Central Asian republic, we aren't going to build a personalistic regime, we will have institutions.' This is all abolished now. The very idea of a governing party and party career, as you have in China, that didn't work.

From Ivan Krastev

For the Kremlin, it is more feasible to preserve its great-power status in cooperation with the United States than in confrontation.

From Ivan Krastev

The United States and Russia probably do not have common aims and dreams, but they have common worries: Both Washington and Moscow are concerned about the rise of China and are threatened by the rise of radical Islam.

From Ivan Krastev

Russians clearly perceive America's global influence as being in irreversible decline and American society shattered by major political, economic and ideological crises.

From Ivan Krastev

The post-Cold War order in Europe is finished, with Vladimir Putin its executioner. Russia's invasion of Georgia only marked its passing. Russia has emerged as a born-again 19th-century power determined to challenge the intellectual, moral and institutional foundations of the order.

From Ivan Krastev