The United States has also raised Russia's hackles with its plans to install missile defense equipment in Poland and the Czech Republic. Washington claims the system is a defense against Iran, but Russia is not buying it. When the United States and Poland announced their deal last month, the Russian Government said it would hurt U.S.-Russia relations.

Kosovo is another contentious issue. When Britain, France and other Western countries recognized Kosovo's independence, Russia hinted it would take corresponding action. The military intervention in Georgia showed that Russia has lost patience with what it sees as NATO and the United States "squeezing" Russia's strategic space.

Polls show the Russians want a tough leader. Western observers once believed that Medvedev would be more liberal and easier to deal with than Putin, who envisioned a powerful Russia with its status internationally acknowledged and its security well protected. Now it seems Medvedev shares the same goal. If the West stands in his way, Russia is likely to assert itself with growing strength.

This is not to say, however, that Russia and the West are heading toward another Cold War. Russia wants to avoid a return to Cold War-style confrontation, while Europe's dependence on Russian energy precludes it from taking extreme measures. In an August 26 interview with CNN, Medvedev acknowledged the current disagreements but said it is possible to resolve them. "We would like to have full-value constructive relationships with our Western partners, including with the United States," he said. "But to do so we need a dose of pragmatism and mutual respect."

The Russian president further said that Russia did not want to complicate its relationship with the United States and would be ready to cooperate with the new U.S. president. In the interview, Medvedev managed to express his dissatisfaction with the U.S. incursion into Russia's strategic space while showing respect for the basic principles of international law. In this way, Russia can balance state security interests with diplomatic necessity.