Putin's Reign
59% No
“At this point it would only push Russia into a more intransigent stance that will make it even a more obstructionist player in the international community that has little to lose.”
“G-8 is already anachronistic, since it’s clear that on most of issues on the G-8 agenda key countries are not presently included. Therefore Russia should stay on as part of a GX which would include, at least, China, India, Brazil and South Africa. This would obviate the problem of having Russia as the only “semi” democracy among the Eight.”
“To push Russia out of the G8 would be to validate for the Russians that Putin’s view is correct that the West is permanently hostile to Russia and that it must make its future outside of the Western democratic political and economic system. Putin and his successors may well take Russia outside of that system, but we should not do their dirty work for them. If Russia wants to walk away from the West, that must be a Russian decision, not a Western preemptive expulsion.”
“It may have been an error to bring Russia into the G-8 but it would be a mistake to expel them now.”
“No, it’s too late to walk that back. Europe cannot afford to.”
“No, the most counterproductive response to our disappointment with Russia would be isolation.”
“Kicking Russia out of the G8 would be an empty gesture with a high cost--greater Russian intransigence on issues that matter to the United States.”
“Kicking Russia out of the G8 would only exacerbate tensions with the West and do little to encourage political reform in Russia. Engagement, not isolation, is the best way to nudge Russia toward political and economic liberalization.”
“Kicking Russia out of the G8 will only support hard-line nationalists within Russia and diminish any leverage the West has. Better to establish criteria that G8 members have to meet to stay in, to create some possible future pressure points.”
“No. Engagement has been the right strategy; indeed, if we had done more economic engagement of Russia—e.g., membership in WTO in the 1990s, and an economic strategy to complement that decade’s basically successful diplomatic strategy—we would be much better off than we are now in dealing with Russia.”
“Not if the G8 wants to continue to be relevant. Why we think we are the world’s schoolmarm, scolding other Great Powers for following their own interests, is beyond childish...it is dangerous.”
“Logically, yes, of course. But in practice, having come this far, we’d do more harm than good by a grandstanding rejection [of Russia from the G8]. It is too late for that.”
41% Yes
“We should at least hold out the prospect that Russia’s membership in the G8 should be revoked. Russia was first brought in with the hope that doing so would cement its commitment to democracy and propel it further down that path. It has veered far from that path and threatening to rescind its membership is both logical and might sober the Russian government to the consequences of its behavior. At the very least, it would prevent an autocratic Russia from hindering the collective action of the world’s leading democracies.”
“The G8 is a club of responsible global stakeholders, not a club of superpowers. Admission should be tied to responsible global behavior. Russia’s energy extortion merits suspension from the G8.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to show Putin that we disapprove of his membership in G-8, which should be reserved for free countries. It’s not an entitlement to belong to the club.”
“Russia was invited to join the G8 because of its movement toward economic and political liberalization. The reversal to state control of the economy and presidential control of politics should have consequences - starting with its being thrown out of the G8.”
“Yes, in order to send a signal that it is not business as usual.”
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