[War] Flash Report on the Russian Goodwill Tour

[John Penta]

After several days of head scratching following the frustratingly
unproductive tour of the former Soviet States, the reasons for the
cold reception are becoming clear. Many leaders of the former Soviet
States see Russia's failure to take action against Iran as a sign of
weakness and decided to score points with their voters by snubbing the
former superpower.

However, the government of Belarus has relented and offered some signs
of interest through back channels, while others, like Ukraine,
Azerbaijan, and Georgia remain adamant in their initial stance. The
conclusion being that if Moscow wants a closer relationship with its
former satellites there is a great deal more work to be done.