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Thomas Graham (USA) is rightly considered one of the best experts on Russia and US-Russian relations. Currently, Graham is the managing director in, perhaps, the most prestigious consulting company Kissinger Associates Inc. Earlier, he worked as director on Russia’s affairs for the National Security Council and was a special assistant to President George W. Bush on policy issues for Russia. In the 80s - 90s he worked at the American Embassy in Moscow. He also speaks Russian well.



Graham, as well as his famous boss Kissinger, is the representative of the so-called "realist school" in American foreign policy.



It is interesting to see what the essence of Graham's views on US-Russian relations is. In short, they could be briefed to the following:



1. Russia will never be a democracy. This must be recognized as an inevitable thing, accepted and we should not to try to impose democratic principles on Russia. This will not be successful, but will only lead to deterioration in relations.



2. In the long term, Russia will remain a global player, whose interests the US will have to take into account in its policy.