Russia's Islamist Quandary

Russia is finding it difficult to balance its growing domestic concerns about Islamism with the potential for an opening with an important Islamist group abroad. On Feb. 26, Russia's Federal Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov said that radical Islam is a growing problem in Russia and is spreading in the region. A week earlier, the leader of the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan, Muhiddin Kabiri, said Russia should strengthen its ties with the Islamist party and reconsider its negative attitude toward the party and other Islamist groups.

The Islamic Renaissance Party is a key party to watch in the run-up to Tajikistan's presidential election in November. Russia previously distanced itself from parties like the Islamic Renaissance Party because of its own problems with Islamist groups, and establishing ties with the party would complicate Moscow's relationship with the current Tajik regime. However, the upcoming U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Islamic Renaissance Party's relatively moderate stance could give Russia reason to consider closer ties with the party — though it will do so cautiously.