Enlarging NATO The Russian Factor Author:Richard L. Kugler The interaction between the West and Russia promises to be a defining one for East Central Europe's emerging geopolitics, and it will affect the stabililty of Europe as a whole. Focused on the big strategic picture, this study presents a political-military analysis of the dynamics likely to unfold and of the actions the United States and its all... more »ies can take to shape a positive outcome in achieving their goals of admitting new NATO members while encouraging overall regional stability. It begins with a theoretical framework for the strategic thinking that must be done about Europe's new geopolitics and an in-depth assessment of Russia's new statist foreign policy and defense strategy. It then examines East Central Europe's current and future geopolitics, and concludes with an analysis of alternative strategic and military destinations, coupled with plans for getting to them, that the United States and its allies can pursue for NATO enlargement.« less