An expert on Russia and the former Soviet Union looked ahead to the July 16 summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on a recent “MTSU On the Record” radio program.

Dr. Andrei Korobkov

Host Gina Logue’s interview with Dr. Andrei Korobkov, a professor in MTSU’s Department of Political Science and International Relations, first aired July 10 on WMOT-FM Roots Radio 89.5 and online at www.wmot.org. You can listen to their conversation above.

In advance of the two leaders’ meeting in Helsinki, Finland, Korobkov is examining possible summit topics, such as Iran’s involvement in the Syrian civil war, the possibility of a formal U.S. recognition of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, and the New Start nuclear weapons treaty.

Korobkov said the Trump administration’s preparation for the summit is interesting because Trump has depended more on National Security Adviser John Bolton than on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The professor said former President Richard Nixon crafted his foreign policy in much the same way.

“Nixon had horrible relations with the State Department since the McCarthy days, and he created, essentially, a second State Department within the White House,” Korobkov said, “so all diplomacy was personal. It was very covert, and it was going through Henry Kissinger and the National Security Council. And it looks like the same is happening here (with Trump).”

Korobkov has provided analysis and perspective on Russian politics for news agencies worldwide, including Bloomberg, Radio Liberty, Sputnik International and the British Broadcasting Corporation. He’s been a member of MTSU’s faculty since 2000.

To hear previous “MTSU On the Record” programs, visit the searchable “Audio Clips” archives at www.mtsunews.com.

For more information about “MTSU On the Record,” contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.