Russia Looks East For Allies.(Giving Globally)(Periscope; Strategy)(Brief article)

Byline: Adam B. Kushner

When he faces west, Russian President Vladimir Putin strikes a tough-guy pose. He squeezes Europe's gas supply, eggs on a new arms race and shrugs off human-rights concerns. But while the rough stuff gets all the attention, Putin's posture looks quite different from the East. He's become a frequent guest in Asia, paying visits to China, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia, inking deals and dispensing cash. In his biggest deal yet, Putin recently gave Indonesia a $1 billion line of credit to buy weapons. What's behind his Eastern outreach? In part, it's his animus toward the West. "Russia is obsessed with balancing off American influence," says Ariel Cohen of the Heritage Foundation. "That strategy depends on adding weight to the Eastern side of the scale." By cultivating Eastern friends, Russia also hopes to insulate itself against economic harm from escalating tensions with Western trading partners. Joining ...