9781422275771

Russia successfully hosted the 2010FIFAWorldCupGames after facing international criticismthat it couldnot handle such a high-profile event.

with crime, human trafficking, illicit drugs, and a deteriorating health- care system. During his 2018 reelection campaign, Putin identified multiple areas of focus for Russia’s future growth, including improve- ments to infrastructure and communications accessibility, better health care, increased wages to combat poverty, and technological advances in industry to improve productivity as well as technology industries themselves. As the second decade of the 21st century comes to a close, Russia has become a major player in multiple world events, from the ongoing Syrian civil war to the war on ISIS. Its status as a top producer of oil and other important natural resources ties the Russian Federation to world economic trends. While relations withWestern nations have faltered in recent years, it bears watch- ing to see if and how Russia’s role in the world will lead to more collaboration with theWest—or if negotiations on key issues will result in the further breakdown of Russia’s relationship with Europe and the United States.

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