Allies, Not Enemies

Rethinking US & Russia Relations

What if everything you've been told about Russia is wrong?

In February 2022, the author watched from Tbilisi, Georgia as Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine. Living on Russia's doorstep, he saw something the Western media missed: a more complicated story than the simple good-versus-evil narrative dominating headlines.

Allies, Not Enemies challenges the dangerous assumption that conflict between America and Russia is inevitable. Drawing on decades of forgotten cooperation, from joint space missions to nuclear security partnerships, this book makes a provocative case: Russia should be America's partner, not its permanent enemy.

In 1945, American and Soviet soldiers embraced on the Elbe River, celebrating their joint victory over fascism. In 1995, American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts shook hands aboard Mir, beginning a space partnership that continues today. In 2013, Russia helped broker a deal that removed chemical weapons from Syria, averting American military intervention.

These aren't isolated incidents. They're proof that cooperation between Washington and Moscow isn't just possible—it's happened repeatedly when leaders chose partnership over confrontation.

• Nuclear security: Russia and America together possess 90% of the world's nuclear weapons. Cooperation isn't optional—it's survival.
• Climate change: The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet. Russia controls half its coastline. We can't solve this alone.
• Terrorism: From al-Qaeda to ISIS, both nations face the same enemy. Why aren't we fighting it together?
• China's rise: A multipolar world requires strategic thinking, not Cold War reflexes.

This book systematically dismantles the myths driving US-Russia hostility. You'll learn why NATO expansion looked different from Moscow than from Washington. How economic sanctions hurt ordinary Russians while strengthening Putin's grip on power. Why Russian cultural values have more in common with America than you think. And how cooperation on everything from energy to education could benefit both nations.

Drawing on diplomatic history, economic analysis, and firsthand experience living in the former Soviet space, the author presents a comprehensive case for rethinking one of the world's most dangerous relationships.

This isn't about ignoring real differences. Russia's invasion of Ukraine was wrong. Putin's authoritarian governance is troubling. But demonizing 144 million people and treating their country as a permanent enemy isn't strategy, it's ideology masquerading as foreign policy.

We can continue down the path of escalating tensions, proxy wars, and nuclear brinkmanship. Or we can recognize that cooperation with Russia, however difficult, serves American interests better than endless confrontation.

The Cold War ended over 30 years ago. Isn't it time our foreign policy caught up?

Allies, Not Enemies offers a roadmap for a different future. It's one where American and Russian strengths complement rather than cancel each other out. Where shared threats receive shared responses. Where the most dangerous border in geopolitics becomes a bridge instead of a wall.

This book is perfect for readers who:

• Question mainstream foreign policy narratives
• Want to understand Russian perspectives beyond propaganda
• Believe diplomacy beats military confrontation
• Are concerned about nuclear risks and great power conflict
• Think independently about complex geopolitical issues

The relationship between America and Russia will shape the 21st century. This book argues we're getting it catastrophically wrong, and shows how to get it right.

The stakes couldn't be higher. The choice is ours.