Russia's Position on Kosovo

An interesting analysis of Russia's position on Kosovo, published on 12/18/07 at Friedman Writes Back.

"We expect the West to postpone independence again, and to keep postponing it. But the Albanians might force the issue by declaring unilateral independence. The Russians would actually be delighted to see this. But here is the basic fact: For the United States and its allies, Kosovo is a side issue of no great importance. For the Russians, it is both a hot-button issue and a strategic opportunity. The Russians won’t roll over this time. And the asymmetry of perceptions is what crises are made of."

Also, check out a more recent, free sample of the article on the same topic by Jane's.