Putin Lures Russia Scholars With Chilled Vodka, Raw Octopus
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If Vladimir Putin offers to fly you to Russia to talk geopolitics, could you refuse?
That’s the question facing Russia analysts from the U.S. and Europe as Putin convenes a meeting in Sochi Oct. 22-24, extending a decade-old tradition of the Valdai Discussion Club. The group was formed to provide “independent, unbiased, scholarly analysis” of world affairs among experts, and the conference this month includes a session on Ukraine.