The Stakes of a Global War - by Andrei Piontkovsky

Book Synopsis

The Stakes of a Global War is a compelling collection of editorial articles spanning over two decades, from 1999 to 2025, by one of the bravest and most insightful commentators writing on Russia today, Andrei Piontkovsky. This powerful work dissects the rise of "Putinism" and its profound impact on Russia and the world stage.
Piontkovsky, a Russian scientist and political writer, offers a sharp, polemical analysis of Vladimir Putin's presidency, tracing Russia's shift from a nascent "New Russia" to an aggressive, authoritarian state. From early warnings about totalitarian tendencies to stark predictions of war, the book chronicles events like the Chechen conflict, the annexation of Crimea, and the escalating tensions leading to a global crisis. With a keen eye for political maneuvering and societal shifts, Piontkovsky's writings delve into the Kremlin's strategies, the manipulation of public opinion, and the West's complex relationship with Russia. The Stakes of a Global War also examines the 2024 US presidential election and its implications for international relations, alongside the ongoing war in Ukraine. Featuring a preface by Kremlin critic Leonid Nevzlin, this book provides a critical perspective on contemporary history, offering insights into the forces shaping our world and the high stakes of global conflict. Piontkovsky's work is both a historical record and a prophetic warning, challenging readers to confront the realities of power and the fragility of peace.

Review Quotes

"I have known and read Andrei Piontkovsky for many years, always with great appreciation. This book, elegantly translated into English by Jason Galie, is undoubtedly his best work. Andrei Andreievich has always stood out for being erudite, with a clear understanding of what is going on. He has combined his insights with strict moral principles, and he has the courage to draw the logical conclusions. Thus, he was forced to flee Russia. This book is an excellent read with Piontkovsky's main articles from 1999-2025. They are stark and to the point. The reader is left with a stunned realization: It was possible to understand who Putin was and what he was doing from the outset, because Piontkovsky did so. With profound understanding, already in January 2000, he summarized Putin's deeds: "Putinism is waging war."

--Anders Åslund, the author of "Russia's Crony Capitalism".

"Few eras have posed a greater challenge to analysts and journalists than Russia since the collapse of the USSR. Most of those purporting to take up this challenge present themselves as savvy former insiders or as dispassionate outsiders. Andrei Piontkovsky is neither, and something much more. Years as a noted mathematician left him analytical and skeptical, while his firm stance in support of a rights-based and civic Russia imparted a consistent moral cast to his journalistic writings both in Russia and the West. Piotkovsky's bluntness makes him a direct heir of Russia's great nineteenth-century journalist Alexander Herzen. But unlike Herzen, whose shifting loyalties embraced both reformist autocrats and socialist reformers, Piotkovsky's commitment to liberal democratic values has been consistent, and a challenge both to Russia and the West. This collection reveals this fine writer at his best."

-- Frederick Starr, Chairman, Central Asia Caucasus Institute, The American Foreign Policy Council

"The Putin regime misleads both Russians and foreigners about the nihilism at the core of its behavior. This is why the work of Andrei Piontkovsky is so important. For a quarter of a century, he has, almost alone, described the true face of this regime to an often incredulous world. The short, aphoristic essays in "The Stakes of a Global War" are a guide to the criminal past and an indispensable warning for the future."

--David Satter, the author of "The Less You Know, the Better You Sleep: Russia's Road to Terror and Dictatorship under Yeltsin and Putin.

«Доля і війна звели нас із Андрієм Піонтковським - чудовою людиною із проникливим розумом, неймовірною ерудицією і почуттям гумору. Сотні ефірів і стрімів на 24 каналі, які незмінно і заслужено збирали мільйони переглядів.

Згодом було знайомство із його книгою «Третій шлях», яка є чудовою нагодою познайомитися із віхами новітньої історії російської «дзюдохерії» усім охочим. Неймовірно, але книга, написана за 10 років до подій, які сталися згодом, стала ніби пророцтвом геніального автора.

Обізнаність Піонтковського у реальних мотивах героїв, його проникливість і вміння легко розкладати на зрозумілі складові навіть складні речі - усе це роблять книгу незамінним інструментом для охочих дізнатися правду»

-- Роман Aндрейко, генеральный директор телерадиокомпании «Люкс»

About the Author

Andrei Piontkovsky (born in 1940) is a Russian scientist, political writer and analyst, and a member of PEN International. He has been a regular political commentator for the BBC World Service and Radio Liberty as an outspoken critic of Vladimir Putin. In 2016, He fled from Russia under threat of arrest and received political asylum in the USA. Dr. Piontkovsky is also a popular videoblogger and the author of several books on the Putin presidency, including Another Look Into Putin's Soul and Russian Identity.

Dr. Piontkovsky's writing has been compared to that of the late Charles Krauthammer--it is incisive, analytically rigorous, witty, and imbued with an authoritative moral clarity.

Piontkovsky holds a doctorate in mathematics from Moscow State University and is a member of the American Mathematical Society.

Jason Galie is a Russian language analyst at Booz Allen Hamilton and has taught Russian at Columbia University, Middlebury College, the Defense Language Institute, and The George Washington University. He lives in Washington, DC.