Svante

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some person say France, Germany and Briton. i think Russia have great influence. Vladimir Putin he refuse to join in war in Irak with U.S. and Briton. now the world know war in Irak are mistake. the Russian gouvernement control oil for europe and this make it very powverful.

Russia and France there found out to have oppose the war for financial reason. Saddam he owe Russia billions of dollars, and french banks were making money fro m Saddam and getting much oil from him.

Briton is perhaps most influential to further democracy to countrys but i think for most powver Russia are most influential.
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Taximark

So just on that basis you think the award goes to Russia

Svante

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yes becuase Russia are powverful. when Putin are still i n the gouvernement Russia will abuse the powver.
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lg11

Russia is "influential" because they have a shitload of nuclear weapons and a large population. Substract the nuclear weapons and its a third world country with with vast natural resources but nothing else. Whats the point of this thread, anyways ?

mairead

Russia may exert some power, but sorry, I think the USA exerts even more.

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AzTeK

I don't think neither Russias "large" population nor russias "shitload" of nuclear weapons is the key aspect why Russia seems so powerful nowadays. Neither economy - Germany alone has almost 3* the GDP of Russia, and in terms of population, Russia only has 50% more than Germany which isn't that much really.

It's energy, namely natural gas, that makes Russia so powerful. 30% of the EUs energy needs and 44% of the EUs natural gas consumption is covered by Russian imports. Russia has the power to completely shut down the entire EU at will. Of course, this would be counter-productive for it as well, but still, the power is there.

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jaro

Russian economy is not that bad. Its about on the same level as Poland per capita. Poland certainly isn't a 3rd world country.

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Slartibartfas

Hardly

Russia has lots of gas resources, true, but it also depends itself large on the trade with the EU. Thats a give and take. In reallity both sides are dependent on each other, even though the latter aspect has been ignored by many lately its of course existent. Putin and Medjedew certainly know that.

Secondly, the Iraq war was also opposed by France and Germany, and not necessarily because Russia did so as well.

Russia is not teathless, but it does not remotely have the power over Europe you suggest. Nearly the entire Warsaw pact broke away, and is firmly opposed to Russia nowadays.

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lg11

My post was not meant to be offensive and "3rd world" was certainly not the right word to describe Russias economy. But still, I do not see how Russia should be any more "powerfull" than Britain, France or Germany. It depends on the definition of powerfull, of course, most people are defining it too narrowly, as "military" power.
Take the U.S for example. The only "superpower" could't do shit if it wasn't for the EU feeding them, yet they make decisions (primairly economic) they are in no position to make to begin with, and everybody gets afraid. These kinds of things just piss me off. What is power nowadays, in a world that is as interdependent as ours?

The Lying Dutchman

iraq may owe russia mucho dollars but i doubt they'll be getting it soon. and its not like france is inheriting its debt towards russia.

russia can play the game ugly (which is what they are best at) but putin also wants to go down history as a national hero. hey may block gas for the EU but it would be a certain death to their own nation. and the logic of a suicide-terrorist doesnt aply to national policies of any nations, the cold war didnt end up to become the nuclear horror people feared because of the lack of nations to sacrifice themselves.