Although the economy has without question emerged as a central theme of the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign, foreign policy – particularly policy towards Russia – was a prominent subject at the Republican National Convention in Tampa. Presidential nominee Mitt Romney spoke about Russia in his acceptance speech, the GOP Platform features a section devoted to Russia, and an expert conference during the Convention explored the future of U.S.-Russia relations under a Republican administration.

“The Future of U.S.-Russia Relations”, a roundtable discussion held at the University Club of Tampa on August 28, was co-hosted by the Institute of Modern Russia and the Foreign Policy Initiative, a Washington-based think tank. The principal question debated on the panel – what Russia policy a Romney administration should pursue – was tackled by the GOP nominee’s foreign policy advisers, Ambassador Pierre-Richard Prosper (former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large on War Crimes Issues) and Ambassador Richard S. Williamson (former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State), Pavel Khodorkovsky, president of the Institute of Modern Russia and the son of Russia’s best-known political prisoner, Mikhail Khodorkovsky,and Vladimir V. Kara-Murza, a leader of the Republican Party of Russia–People’s Freedom Party. Guests at the event included Convention delegates, Congressional staffers, European diplomats, representatives of international organizations, political analysts, and journalists.

Event Video

Please find the Institute of Modern Russia complete event analysis here