Russia

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upper hand: Russian President Vladimir Putin (center) signed a natural gas agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but President Obama is still working on a deal. (RIA Novosti via Associated Press)

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Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. President Barack Obama, center, talk on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014 in Beijing. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Presidential Press Service)

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Illustration on Putin and Russia's increasingly belligerent position in the world by Paul Tong/Tribune Content Agency

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Russian President, Vladimir Putin pumping gas.

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currency: Consumer goods prices and inflation are at all-time highs in Russia, but the country's citizens are hesitant to blame their lot on President Vladimir Putin. Some analysts say such unwillingness may be due to fear of state-sponsored persecution. (Associated Press)

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Crude prices have plunged by 25 percent since June, making it painful or uneconomic for producers in Russia, Venezuela and Iran, for the pioneering shale oil drillers in America's heartland and for Canada's oil sands extractors. (Andrew Harnik/The Washington Times)

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Edmonton Oilers' Justin Schultz (19) and Los Angeles Kings' Slava Voynov (26), of Russia, compete for the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2014, in Los Angeles.(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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Russian President Vladimir Putin listens during a cabinet meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, Monday, Oct. 13, 2014. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered thousands of his country's troops who were posted near the Ukrainian border to return to their permanent bases. A Kremlin spokesman said Putin had ordered approximately 17,600 troops to return home from the southern region of Rostov. The withdrawal may be a sign of goodwill ahead of Putin's trip to Milan on Thursday, where he is set to meet with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and European Union leaders.(AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Alexei Druzhinin, Presidential Press Service)

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Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, of Russia, celebrates his second goal of the first period during an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins in Boston, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)

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Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to the leaders of ex-Soviet states during a meeting in Minsk, Belarus, Friday, Oct. 10, 2014. Putin lashed out at the European Union for “not considering it necessary to discuss the risks” of political and economic integration with post-Soviet countries. Ukraine’s decision to sign an association agreement with the European Union in September provoked complaints from the Kremlin that the deal would hurt Russia’s economy. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Presidential Press Service)

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Washington Capitals right wing Alex Ovechkin (8), from Russia, has his shot deflected by Carolina Hurricanes defenseman John-Michael Liles (26) in the first period of a preseason NHL hockey game, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a terrestrial globe, with Russian territory colored pink, seemingly including Crimea, presented to him as a gift during his meeting with participants in the youth educational forum at the Seliger youth camp near Lake Seliger, Russia, in this August 2014 file photo. As world leaders gather at the U.N., during the week of Sept. 22, 2014, the U.S. and its European allies are consumed by efforts to blunt the savage advance of the Islamic State group, to end the raging Ebola epidemic and to make progress in nuclear negotiations with Iran. That’s likely just fine with Putin, since these issues distract from Russia’s presence in neighboring Ukraine. (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Presidential Press Service, Mikhail Klimentyev, Pool, File)

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National Edition Opinion cover for September 19, 2014 - Russia and China, masters of mischief (Illustration by Donna Grethen for the Tribune Content Agency)

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Despite popular support for a visa regime with former Soviet republics, Russian President Vladimir Putin has opposed such a move, saying "A visa regime would mean that we are pushing former Soviet republics away, but we need to bring them closer." (Associated Press)

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Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, speaks during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, as Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov listens Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014. Putin takes part in the two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which brings together Russia, China and four former Soviet republics in Central Asia. (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Mikhail Klementyev, Presidential Press Service)