International Security

2014: RUSSIA'S FOREIGN AFFAIRS TAKE CENTER STAGE By Ivan Nechepurenko The St. Petersburg Times Published: December 29, 2014 (Issue # 1843)          Despite the enormity of the effort, which cost Russia more than $50 billion, the attempted charm offensive of the Sochi Olympic Games failed to sway either hearts or minds. Photo: Republic of Korea / Flickr A year that began in a flash of Olympic glitz and glory is ending on a much darker note, amid an economic meltdown aggravated by plummeting oil prices and the tensest diplomatic standoff between Russia and the West since the Cold War. Looking back upon a truly memorable year, The St. Petersburg Times has compiled a list of the top six affairs that shaped Russia's foreign policy trajectory in 2014. Sochi's Failed Charm Offensive In hosting the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia strived to present itself as a modern, attractive country bursting with opportunities. As spectators and athletes milled into the Olympic Park, they were greeted by a massive poster boasting the English-language logo: "Russia: Great, New, Open." Despite the enormity of the effort — and it truly was enormous, ultimately costing Russia more than $50 billion — the attempted charm offensive failed. Western media coverage of the games consisted of the occasional ounce of awe over Russian achievements, watered down by endless steams of condemnation over everything from corruption to gay rights and controversial policies, including the alleged mass extermination of stray dogs in Sochi. The strongest indication that the Sochi Olympics lacked the desired outcome can be seen in how quickly the international community seems to have forgotten about them. But one detail of the games seems particularly notable in retrospect: U.S. President Barack Obama's decision to skip the games illustrates that relations between the two superpowers had already begun to pale well before the annexation of Crimea. Crimea Annexation The crisis in Crimea will go down as one of the year's most crucial events worldwide. By annexing the Crimean Peninsula in March, Russian President Vladimir Putin boldly pushed his grip on power within Russia, as well as the country's relations with the West, past the point of no return. Russia can back away from the conflict in Donbass, but it cannot do so with Crimea. Putin will never turn his back on the peninsula because he owes it so much political capital. After the annexation, his approval ratings within Russia surged to unparalleled highs — 81 percent of Russians still support the Crimea annexation, according to a poll conducted by the Levada Center last week. Read more at: http://www.sptimes.ru/story/41546