Boris’s Russia review will delight Putin

The strategy outlined within the integrated review lacks the urgency, agility, and need for ambiguity needed to take on the country it deems our ‘most acute threat’: Russia.

Described as the ‘biggest review of our foreign, defence, security and development policy since the end of the Cold War’, in fact — when it comes to Russia — much of the IR reads more like a literature review than a 21st Century ‘Long Telegram’. Russia is referenced only fourteen times directly, and then with a great deal more descriptive analysis than comprehensive plans of action.

Much of the content is welcome: one section deals with Russia under the new term of ‘state threats’. It reiterates the government’s intention to introduce Counter-State Threats Legislation (including a new Foreign Agent’s Registration Bill) and the Online Harms Bill. But these are largely rehashed ideas. Even when taken together, they are inadequate to ‘combat all the threats we now face’.