Carl Thomson: The Conservative Party should welcome Dmitry Medvedev's election as Russian president

Carl Thomson is a commentator on Russian and East European affairs and a former Conservative Party Parliamentary Candidate.

When Vladimir Putin was elected president of Russia in March 2000, Tony Blair hailed him as “a moderniser, with a focused view of what he wants to achieve”.  Eight years later, Britain harbours as political refugees those who call for the violent overthrow of the Russian government, and the Kremlin is blamed for the assassination of FSB defectors on the streets of London.  A range of disagreements between Russia and the West on issues such as Kosovo, missile defence, and Iran’s nuclear ambitions have prompted many to argue that we are now in the midst of a new Cold War.

Tomorrow marks the end of the Putin era and the dawn of Dmitry Medvedev.  Mr. Putin may stick around for a few more years as prime minister, but real power in Russia lies with the presidency, and we should expect Medvedev to assert his authority quickly.  He would be wise to do so.  Elements of the influential siloviki, a term used to describe former KGB agents and politicians with a military background, remain ill disposed towards him and suspicious of his apparent liberal sympathies.