From David Ignatius, the Washington Post:  The foreign policy theme that should dominate this year’s presidential campaign is “American renewal.”

From AFP:  NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen Thursday urged Russia to refrain from building up its military near the alliance’s borders, saying it was a concern for the 28-nation organization.

From Russia Today:  [Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry] Rogozin, Russia’s former Permanent Representative to NATO, told officers of the Aerospace Forces in the restricted area of Krasnoznamensk that no matter what type of political system Russia has the western military bloc will not change their views.

From RIA Novosti:  Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday plans to put offensive weapon systems on Russia's borders to counter a planned European missile shield were not electoral rhetoric but a forced measure.

From Robert Pszczel, the New Atlanticist:  Exhibit one – the Levada Center opinion poll conducted in January 2011 showed NATO being described as an adversary by 23 percent of Russians (Chechen rebels came first on that list with 43 percent, followed by USA with 28 percent).

From RIA Novosti:  Moscow has prepared a blacklist of U.S. officials who will be banned from travelling to Russia in response to a U.S. blacklist of Russian officials linked to the controversial death of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky in detention, Russian daily Kommersant reported on Wednesday.

From the Editors of the Washington Post:  Last month the Obama administration disclosed it had taken a significant step toward balancing its policy toward Russia, which has focused heavily on striking deals with the authoritarian regime of Vladi­mir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev while mostly ignoring issues of corruption and human rights.

From Ariel Cohen, the National Interest:  [Russia' Ambassador to NATO Dmitry] Rogozin also raised the issue of legally binding “reliable assurances” that a NATO system does not pose a threat to Russia’s Strategic Rocket Forces.