I had never heard of Aleksandr Khramchikhin before. A real breathe of fresh air. True NATO couldn't protect ,presently, a cat from a dog. And he is correct that NATO couldn't protect Russia from China. But conversely some European NATO countries hope Russia could help to defend Europe from China. A question that has become topical since one more economic implosion in the USA could immediately end its role as the dominant economic power on this planet. As for friends here we differ. I think the Russian people have many friends in Europe. And in the right circumstances this could even find expression in relations of mutual political dependence between Russia and Europe. We will see. P.S. next time you have something to say about NATO ask Aleksandr back. He cuts to the chase.

Yes, Russia can never accept to become an attack force against China the same way the USSR was an attack force against Nazi Germany. Anglo-Americans pay part of the price but the millions who died were Russian. This time, Russia doesn´t have neithe the will nor the people to be the Front of an Anglo-American attack against China, a nation which is already the first Trade partner of the Russian Federation and which shares 3,000 miles of border with Russia in Siberia. But, if NATO continues just as a Defensive force, not offensive. Russia could be part of it. A rotary system in SACEUR could be implemented in less than two decades if Europe consolidates its Defense and Russia improves the quality of its Army. Then a peacefull Europe, without (or with few) nuclear weapons, could allow both Russia and the U.S. to stengthen their presence in Asia.

Mr Khramchikhin. You must have spied on my comments. I wrote practically the same thing to RT a few days ago on an other topic. It seems than I need notoriety or invent for myself credentials which I do not have. Only simple observation and a strange but interesting destiny allow me to understand how badly several countries are managed... Sorry Future Generations; nothing good for you in sight...Your friend: Jean-Claude Meslin

When the Wast reaches out to Russia, Russia declines and revers back to a cold war era train of thought. Russia is not the west's enemy anymore. China is the threat, China isn't only a threat to the west it is a threat to Russia, Africa and especially Southeast Asia.

Sean, I don´t think China is a threat but an opportunity. In fact, it is already the main Trade partner of the Russian Federation.

Only severe deprivation of common sense would prevent someone seeing that Aleksandr Khramchikhin is 100% correct in his analysis. History is the best teacher and Russian peoples know what kind of "help" they ever got from the west.

NATO is impotent other than sounding like it is the answer to a prayer: stop China! LOL, in the mere numbers of "people" alone there is no contest to China taking over the world in the future. PRIVATE-PUBLIC partnerships with AMERICA during the "WOT," CHINESE NATIONALS came in the same large numbers as the south borders drove droves of Mexicans to migrate, NAFTA's CLINTONS and it is the same horror show seen in Russia. Chinese Nationals came with blessings from WA DC: INCOME GUARANTEES of $5K per month, jobs, SSN and the best of all!? NO PAYING ANY INCOME TAXES FOR FIVE YEARS. Could walk in and purchase any home via a "lender" with the "qualifications" provided by HENRY PAULSON, et al. TREASURY US?! China is already on the move with armies that cannot be stopped: Chinese people who have been oppressed for so long, THAT NOW, loose, just look at who is "wealthy" in the world waiting for the bottom to hit. Been saving their "metals," etc.

Russia and China have a strategic relationship. The notion of needing to "protect" from China is absurd, and only plays to the newest hype of Western bankers that have encouraged stupid politicans to borrow money, and are today spitting on the lender. Not a good idea. In reallity, Russia can be by far bigger threat to China, yet no such opining has showin up in China. Russia is by far the strongest of the two in nuclear capability. The way I see it, whether one likes it or not, Russia and China have been carefully coordinating their moves. It is obvious that Russia's charge is to focus on Europe, while China focuses on Japan, Koreas, and much of the ASEAN nations. Both manage relationships with US by insuring that the decibels are down, way down. Both manage Iran issue, by alternating between good cop/bad cop role towards Iran. One can hardly forget the euforia not that long time ago, when US was thrilled with the cool response China gave to Iran. That was at the time Russia was taking all the brunt on Iran from the West. Then the roles changed. While Russian energy companies still work on Pars fields, China is now taking the lead and the ire of the west, in doing business with Iran. In the meantime, both Turkey and Brazil are now part of the quartet by becomeing co-actors to China/Russia duet. Add to this mix Venzuela, Equador, Bolivia and Argentina, and the picture expands. India is languidly engaging US. Some would say it is other way around. Slowly, the world is changing. One has to ask the question: who is really engaging whom? Because someone is accepting engagement simply because the point of no return has been reached, and the policy of outright rejectionism has played out and lost. You draw your conclusions as to who is now putting on a cheerfull face in the new era of "engagement"?

Some Russian so-clled academic elites blew Aleksandr Khramchikhin's article off, saying he doesn't know what reality is! Really? Its the so-called academics- elites who are always the problem never the solution.. They are so perverted patting each other on the back while taking hateful about each other behind their backs -- what a pathetic" waste of human life!.

Russia must stand alone.as a political balance. It has the strength and capacity to do this. Some regional agreements will be of some help but not in NATO.

I totally agree with "Bianca's" above comment. To say that Russia is threatened by China or vice versa is the wishful thinking of Western politicians. One should also has to have a memory and remember that NATO has detroyed three countries in the last twenty years (Yugoslavia, Iraq and Afghanistan). This is something that Russian politicians and parties must always have in mind...

Given the decline of Western Europe's economy, expanding the NATO bloc with Russia would expand NATO's resources and reach globally.  What this offers to Russia, I believe is access to trade in Western Europe and a check against China's rise in Asia.  In geopolitics, every alliance is a fair weather friendship.  Russia will of course, act in it's best interest - as such, it may not necessarily see NATO as a threat anymore, given the decline of American primacy, especially in the Asia Pacific.

First, the United States and Russia have been enemies since the Cold War, and ultimately the USSR collapsed.  There is a lot of resentment in Russia against the United States, and the United States is wary of Russia's intentions.  I don't believe a NATO-Russia alliance will bear any fruit.  This form of engagement both on NATO's and Russia's part is a cat and mouse game to gather information, assess the current geopolitical climate.  It's mostly posturing.