Russian Oil in China

Today the President of Russia Vladimir Putin had hinted that China might be allowed to help develop the recently sold off Yukos oil assets. The Russian state owned Gazprom will talk with the Chinese state run China National Petroleum Corporation on a joint venture to develop the vast Yukos oil assets that were just sold off to a mystery buyer, Baikal Finance Group (most likely a front company for the Russian government). Russia after finishing off the largest privately owned enterprise in the country, and its owner who was a political opponent of Mr. Putin is now trying to alian itself with China.
As a former soviet national I have to say that the Russian democracy is now dead and that Russia will soon have a new czar under the name of Putin the Magnificent. As an American I am very worried that a former foe is now joining with a current and future opponent in a deal that will greatly benefit both countries. Russia will get badly needed funds, while China will get the oil that it so desperately wants. In the end the big looser is America, for it lost a democracy and watched a rival get stronger.