In his new book Moscow Rules: What Drives Russia to Confront the West, Keir Giles draws on Russia's history and the present day to explain why the Kremlin feels it has no choice but to challenge the West.  

Hope for a better relationship with Russia has to contend with Moscow's view of the West as an adversary and a threat. This view, and the hostile Russian actions that result from it, can be difficult to understand from Western capitals. But, Keir argues, understanding it or at least accepting it forms an essential starting point for managing relations with Russia without lurching from crisis to crisis. 

Keir will present key findings from the book, and address a number of critically important questions for dealing with Russia. Why does Russia misread Western intentions so consistently? How can past experience of both successful and unsuccessful engagement guide future attempts? And can recognizing the reality of confrontation with Russia help the West manage the challenge from Moscow effectively while avoiding the risk of a deeper conflict? 

Keir Giles is a senior consulting fellow at Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs. He also works with the Conflict Studies Research Centre (CSRC), a group of subject matter experts in Eurasian security with a particular focus on the wide range of security challenges coming from Russia.