Why Russia is turning from the West to the East

I refer to Mr Roger Cohen’s commentary, “With pivot to Asia, Russia defines itself” (Nov 10).

As a Russian expatriate working here (and prior to this in the United States), I wish to give some insight into Russia’s position, as the view that Russia is turning from the West because President Vladimir Putin decided so is one-sided.

Mr Cohen does not seriously consider other reasons, especially those involving the Western world’s actions after the Cold War.

For example, Mr Putin’s talk of Russian encirclement by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) expansion is called “baloney”, when it was actually a violation of the power balance.

Mr Cohen sees it as a “wise call, laying the basis for freedom and rapid development from Poland to the Baltics”.

For Russians, it was strange to see a military alliance at our borders to help those countries economically.

The International Monetary Fund and different United Nations and European Union structures are more appropriate agencies for economic aid.

Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, who gave freedom to the people of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, said he was promised NATO’s non-expansion to the east by the Western world.

He is now considered to be a friend of the West, but Russians do not think that lying to a friend is normal. He has already said what he thinks about this.

Mr Cohen also does not mention the unilateral withdrawal of the US from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which was an important part of nuclear deterrence.

Mr Putin, though, is mentioned as the person who decides everything. In fact, the majority of Russians support the current foreign policy.

Mr Putin is a skilful politician, following the trends to support his ratings and power.

Also, it was not Mr Putin who attacked first in the 2008 Russia-Georgia conflict, but Georgia’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who now lives in the US and is under prosecution in his own country.

Western politicians have said many times that sanctions against Russia were imposed on Mr Putin’s inner circle, not the Russian people.

But I doubt that low-cost airline Dobrolet, which shut down because of sanctions, was popular among his circle of friends.

Nor do I think that sanctions against Russian companies, in which many people work, will affect his circle. It should be of no surprise that in such circumstances, Russia is turning from the West to the East.

I am not a Putin supporter. I participated in protests against the alleged electoral fraud that favoured his party in 2012. I still think his internal policies are wrong.

But ultimately, the Russian people do not need advice from the West, which we would hardly trust again.