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2023-02-20 14:43:21+00:00
đ· On February 20, on the eve of the 12th Middle East Conference, the Valdai Discussion Club will presented a report, titled âThe Middle East and the Future of the Polycentric World.âÂ
Photo gallery of the discussion is available in this album.
The video of the discussion is available via this link.
Stay tuned!
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2023-02-20 08:47:38+00:00
UPD: The livestream is over. The video of the session will be available soon via the same link. Stay tuned!
đ„ LIVE: at 12:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), on the eve of the 12th Middle East Conference, the Valdai Discussion Club will present a report, titled âThe Middle East and the Future of the Polycentric World.âÂ
https://vk.com/video-214192832_456239075
#mideastvaldai #valdai_report #MiddleEast
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2023-02-20 08:07:57+00:00
đ If a polycentric world does emerge, what place will the Middle East and North Africa have in it?
The Middle East appears almost redundant in this new brutal and uncertain reality. The violent upheavals that unfolded there over a decade drew everyoneâs attention, but now they have suddenly found themselves almost on the fringes of international politics.
During the first decade that followed the Arab Spring, the situation in the region was dominated by armed conflicts in Syria, Libya and Yemen. They were in the public eye, dozens of political initiatives were advanced to settle them, and regional alliances were formed around them. However, the situation has changed.
Conflicts continue there, but they have lost their central role. The Middle East seems to have been put on hold, and the differences between Iran and Israel, which are made known occasionally, or rivalry between Algeria and Morocco, do little to change the long- established overall picture.
The inevitable formation of a habit for conflicts by external actors and societies experiencing them is among the biggest present dangers. This, in turn, results in a fading away of efforts to resolve them. The sad experience of Western Sahara and Palestine indicates that the situation can persist for decades and continue to have a destructive effect on the entire regional layout.
In addition to existing conflicts, the prerequisites for new ones are arising, primarily in Lebanon.
the situation is quite alarming: the Middle East is overflowing with contradictions, ongoing and potential crises and conflicts, its future is vague, and the formation of a new regional leadership will entail another transformation of the regional subsystem.
Add to that the fact that the place of the region in global politics is determined not only by the above intra-regional processes, but also by the impact of the external factors on the region, write the authors of a new Valdai Club report, titled , titled âThe Middle East and the Future of the Polycentric World.â
https://valdaiclub.com/a/reports/the-middle-east-and-the-future-of-polycentric-worl/
â° Today at 12:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), on the eve of the 12th Middle East Conference, the Valdai Discussion Club will present the report. Watch the presentation online on our website!
#mideastvaldai #valdai_report #MiddleEast
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2023-02-17 13:43:39+00:00
đ ANNOUNCEMENT: On February 20 at 12:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), on the eve of the 12th Middle East Conference, the Valdai Discussion Club will present a report, titled âThe Middle East and the Future of the Polycentric World.âÂ
Today, the question of the future of the region and its position in the world political system is quite acute. Some countries of the Middle East are becoming louder and louder; becoming more and more significant actors not only in the region, but also in the world. Within the region, there is an obvious trend towards polycentricism.
The authors of the new report analysed intra-regional and global factors influencing the future of the Middle East and identified three possible scenarios for the development of the region. The report provides a comprehensive assessment of the current political, economic and humanitarian situation in the Middle East. Many of the issues raised in the report will be discussed at the Middle East Conference 2023.
âWhat role will the Middle East play in international affairs in the coming decades?
âHow likely is a new imbalance in the region?
âCan the confrontation between Russia and the West affect the conflict potential in the region?
These and other issues will be discussed during the presentation of the new Valdai Club report.
đ Speakers:
đč Vitaly Naumkin, Scientific Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (co-author of the report)
đč Vasily Kuznetsov, Head of the Center for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (co-author of the report)
đč Yahya Zubir, Senior Fellow, Middle East Global Affairs Council (Qatar)
đč ĂaÄrı Erhan, Rector, Altinbas University
Moderator:
đ© Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club
https://valdaiclub.com/events/announcements/valdai-club-to-present-report-the-middle-east-and-the-future-of-the-polycentric-world/
Working languages: Russian, English.
âčïž Information for the media: In order to get accredited for the event, please fill out the form on our website or call +79269307763.
A link to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, Twitter, VKontakte, Telegram and Zen.
#mideastvaldai #valdai_report #MiddleEast
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2023-02-17 12:48:34+00:00
đ·đșâïžđźđ· The year 2022 was a âturning pointâ in the development of maritime trade between Iran and Russia in the Caspian Sea.
Although it was not limited to bilateral trade between the two countries, and was an important part of the âPreferential Trade Agreementâ (PTA) between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), âInternational NorthâSouth Transport Corridorâ (INSTC), and the economic and commercial relations of Russia, Iran and India in framework of âmultimodal transportationâ by sea, road and rail.
However, maritime trade between Iran and Russia in the Caspian Sea suffers six main challenges that need to be solved.
The conflict in Ukraine, the extensive western sanctions against Russia, Russiaâs transit restrictions to Eastern Europe, the continuation of unilateral American sanctions against Iran and the uncertainty of the JCPOA revival process, the emphasis of the Ebrahim Raisi government in Iran on the âLook to the East Policy,â the âPreferential Trade Agreementâ (PTA) between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), âNeighborhood Policyâ and âEconomic Diplomacyâ has caused attention to be more serious than in the past to the âInternational NorthâSouth Transport Corridorâ (INSTC) that the maritime trade in the Caspian Sea between Iran and Russia is an important part of it.Â
According to Head of Iranâs Khazar Sea Shipping Lines, âthe shipment of export container goods has risen 120 percent in the Caspian Sea in the first seven months of the current Iranian calendar year (March 21-October 22) compared to the previous yearâ.
Dr. Vali Kaleji, a Tehran-based expert on Central Asia and Caucasian Studies, writes on the importance of the development of cooperation between Russia and Iran in the Caspian Sea.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/expanding-maritime-trade-between-iran-and-russia/
#ModernDiplomacy #CaspianSea #Iran
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2023-02-17 12:07:22+00:00
âđ Neo-Colonialism of the Gilded West
On February 16, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion, titled âRussia and the Struggle Against Neo-Colonialism: The End of the Western Dictate?â
đŹ The discussionâs moderator Oleg Barabanov, programme director of the Valdai Club, called the problem of neo-colonialism and the struggle for global equality one of the key issues in modern international relations.
đŹ Vasily Koltashov,director of the Institute of the New Society, analysed the origins of neo-colonialism. He considers the unpreparedness of Western elites for reforms to change the neoliberal order an important factor. In order to implement plans to rescue Western economies without social reforms, the West decided to destroy new centres of development, including Russia, China, Brazil, India, and South Africa. However, this plan did not work, encountering resistance from Russia, which as a result found itself at the forefront of the fight against neo-colonialism. The "golden billion" lost its former shine and turned into a "gilded West", and a redistribution of resources began within the Western system.
đŹ Rasigan Maharajh, Chief Director of the Institute for Economic Research on Innovation at South Africaâs Tshwane University of Technology, raised the topic of national liberation and modernisation. Despite the liberation of the colonies, the neo-colonial system continues to infringe on the rights of new states. He pointed out the importance of taking into account the global context when it comes to sustainable development goals, particularly the need to take into account the inequalities caused by neo-colonialism and neo-liberal ideology.
đŹ Radhika Desai, Professor at the Department of Political Studies and Director of the Geopolitical Economy Research Group at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, considers the dollar-dominated system, which has become the cornerstone of the new imperialism, one of the most important obstacles to world development. The key to changing the situation is to abandon the dollar system, Desai said.
đŹ Keith Bennett, a researcher and consultant on Chinaâs international relations and co-editor of the Friends of Socialist China platform, is convinced that the problem of neo-colonialism and ensuring equal development can be solved through the creation of a multipolar world. He pointed to the resistance to neo-colonialism by countries such as China and Russia. Neo-colonial forces are now stronger than ever, and neo-colonialism is responding to their resistance with a new cold war, the expert argues.
đŹ Dmitry Polyansky, First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, noted that the agony of Western neo-colonialism is noticeable within the UN, and in connection with the situation around Ukraine, it has escalated. This neo-colonial approach was quintessentially illustrated by Josep Borrell's remark about the "European garden", as well as the attempts of the West to force non-Western countries to adopt its sanctions against Russia. The West is fighting any attempt at dissent, but more and more, developing countries are not ready to put up with its mentoring. The world has changed, new centres of power have appeared, it is moving away from the ârule-based order,â and the West will have to recognize the equality of other participants in the process, the diplomat believes.
https://valdaiclub.com/events/posts/articles/neo-colonialism-of-the-gilded-west/
#Norms_and_Values #NeoColonialism
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2023-02-16 16:14:14+00:00
đ· On February 16, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion, titled âRussia and the Struggle Against Neo-Colonialism: The End of the Western Dictate?â
Photo gallery of the discussion is available in this album.
The video of the discussion is available via this link.
Stay tuned!
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2023-02-16 12:48:44+00:00
UPD: The livestream is over. The video of the discussion is available via the same link. Stay tuned!
đ„ LIVE: at 16:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3) we are starting an expert discussion, titled âRussia and the Struggle Against Neo-Colonialism: The End of the Western Dictate?â
https://vk.com/video-214192832_456239073
#Norms_and_Values #NeoColonialism
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2023-02-16 12:26:45+00:00
đ„ According to Ana Maria Cetto, President of the Global Committee in Open Science from the UNESCO, is difficult to follow both sides in science diplomacy, the side of politicians and the side of scientists. They have different ways of thinking and reaction. And the science diplomacy looks a more rational way of thinking.
#valdai_podcast #diplomacy #science #UNESCO
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2023-02-16 09:25:01+00:00
â° TODAY at 16:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host an expert discussion, titled âRussia and the Struggle Against Neo-Colonialism: The End of the Western Dictate?â
âWhat risks arise from the widening gap between North and South?
âWhat steps need to be taken to close this gap?
âWhat role can the BRICS countries and Russia in particular play in this process?
Participants of the discussion will answer these and other questions.
A link to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, Twitter, VKontakte, Telegram and Zen.
#Norms_and_Values #NeoColonialism
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2023-02-16 08:59:46+00:00
đ·đșđźđ· Russia and Iran at the Crossroads: From Short-Term Benefits to Long-Term Partnership
On February 15, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion in partnership with the Iranian Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS), dedicated to relations between Russia and Iran in the face of confrontation with the West.
đŹ The discussion moderator from the Russian side, Andrey Sushentsov, programme director of the Valdai Club, noted that now Russian-Iranian relations are on the rise against the background of the security crisis in Europe. He added that Moscow sees the 21st century as a century where Eurasia will be strong, in which the largest countries of the region, in particular the Islamic Republic of Iran, should play a primary role.
đŹ Iranian moderator Khalil Shirgholami, vice president of research at IPIS, in turn stressed that Russia and Iran share common interests and that the two countries have continued to strengthen their relationship.
đŹ IPIS senior expert Manouchehr Moradi said that Iran and Russia are now cooperating closely on a number of issues of mutual interest. He pointed to the particular importance of military cooperation, which, in his opinion, is being deepened by the Ukrainian conflict. He stressed that Iran considers the Russian military operation in Ukraine as a legitimate way to ensure the interests and security of Russia, but at the same time has called for the parties to cease hostilities and start negotiations. As a result, a number of Western governments are using Iran's position as a pretext for propaganda and imposing new sanctions against the Islamic Republic, Moradi said.
đŹ Alexander Maryasov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Iran (2001-2005), compared the policy of the West towards Russia and Iran, noting that both countries are experiencing increasing military, political and economic pressure from the West. âUnder these conditions, Moscow and Iran are making efforts to develop relations with countries that do not accept Western dictates,â the ambassador said. He especially pointed to the expansion of bilateral economic cooperation and the development of many joint projects, first of all in the energy sector, as well as the potential usefulness for Russia of Iran's experience in import substitution and overcoming sanctions. Russia, in turn, is actively assisting Iran in its exit from economic and political isolation.
đŹ Alireza Miryousefi, Head of the IPIS Research Group on International Affairs, devoted his speech to the regional dynamics in the Middle East. He considers Israel's policy on the Palestinian issue to be the key destructive factor. He also called the Yemeni problem very important. He described Iran's policy as an effort to create an inclusive common security system in the region.
đŹ Adlan Margoev,a research fellow at MGIMO University, spoke about the desired future of Russian-Iranian relations. In this context, he considers them important to move from relations based on opportunistic factors to the realisation of deep interests and the development of good neighbourly relations, regardless of external circumstances. According to Margoev, in general a long-term partnership is important for both sides, which requires the building of moderate and realistic expectations in matters of economic cooperation.
đŹ Member of the IPIS Scientific Council Davud Keyani pointed to the understanding by Iranian experts of the need to obtain Russian support in matters related to negotiations on nuclear issues, especially against the backdrop of undermined confidence in America due to the JCPOA debate. According to him, this helps to strengthen sympathy for Russia in expert circles. In addition, there is now a unique situation that suggests that the two countries mutually need each other.
https://valdaiclub.com/events/posts/articles/russia-and-iran-at-the-crossroads-from-short-term-benefits-to-long-term-partnership/
#Valdai_ThinkTank #Iran
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2023-02-16 08:10:19+00:00
đ #mideastvaldai: Programme of the 12th Middle East Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club âThe New Middle East and the Security Crisis in Europe: Effects of Mutual Influenceâ
đ Moscow, February 28 â March 1, 2023
đ February 28, Tuesday
11.30 â Opening of the Conference (live broadcast)
11:45â13:15 â Session 1. The Middle East and International Order: Towards a New Regional Security System? (live broadcast)
The Middle East continues to be burdened by long-standing problems â the settlement in Syria, the Yemeni conflict, the civil standoff in Iraq, and the aggravating Kurdish question. Apart from them, new ones have emerged: the interconnection between the South Caucasus and the Middle East instability, the problems in food and energy supplies, the echoes of the hostilities in Ukraine. As the US presence in the region is diminishing, China and India are taking the lead in the economy. What impact do these processes have on regional dynamics? Is there a prospect for an inclusive regional security system?
14:30â16:00 â Session 2. The Ukrainian Crisis and Its Implications for the Middle East
The crumbling of international order is accelerating in Eastern Europe, which has seen a clash of interests of Russia and the West. Having originated in Europe, the crisis has significant economic implications for the Middle East, caused by the disorganization of transport, energy, production chains and food security. How deep and lasting will the impact of the international crisis on regional processes be?
16:15â17:45 â Session 3. Logistics of the 21st century: Prospects for a New North-South Transport Corridor
Along with the problems, the crisis also brings opportunities: the opening of new forms of economic cooperation in Eurasia, the transition to trade in national currencies, the creation of new transport corridors along the North-South route and others. How have transport routes changed amid the crisis and what opportunities are emerging for new logistics projects on the continent?
đ March 1, Wednesday
10:30â12:00 â Session 4. Key Energy Trends: OPEC+, Russiaâs Role, Reformatting the Global Market (live broadcast)
The Westâs economic war against Russia is stimulating a repartition of the global energy market. While the US is focused on forcing Russia out of the European market, the Asian states are becoming the main source of demand. This is where the interests of Moscow and the OPEC+ states coincide. What do the main trends in global energy look like and how sustainable are they in crisis conditions? How likely are dramatic changes in the global market structure?
12:30â14:00 â Session 5. The Age of Sovereignty: Key Middle Eastern Countriesâ Foreign Policy Priorities (live broadcast)
International order in the Middle East is once again in the hands of the states of the region, rather than external forces. The main regional centres of influence, such as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Algeria, and others are participating in the process of creating a new security system. What are the strategies of the states in the region? What role do they see for themselves in the emerging polycentric world order?
https://valdaiclub.com/events/posts/articles/programme-of-the-12th-middle-east-conference-of-the-valdai-discussion-club-the-new-middle-east-and-t/
Information for the media: Dear journalists, in order to be accredited for the event, please fill out the form on our website. If you have any questions about the event, please call +79269307763. Accreditation will conclude on February 27 at 5:00 pm, Moscow Time.
Open sessions will be broadcast on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, Twitter, VKontakte, Telegram and Zen.
#mideastvaldai #valdaiclub #valdai_programme #MiddleEast
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2023-02-16 08:01:42+00:00
đ #mideastvaldai: On February 28 â March 1, the Valdai Discussion Club, with the support of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, will host its 12th Middle East Conference, titled âThe New Middle East and the Security Crisis in Europe: Effects of Mutual Influenceâ.
đ The Middle East conference will be held at the Clubâs Moscow office (16/1 Tsvetnoy Boulevard, Moscow, Russia).
đ„ The Middle East Conference will be attended by about 50 leading experts dealing with the region, including active politicians and intellectuals from 18 countries, including Algeria, China, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and UAE.
From the Russian side, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Mikhail Bogdanov and First Deputy Minister of Energy of Russia Pavel Sorokin will be guests of honour at the Middle East conference. High-ranking foreign guests arriving in Moscow will include Bouthaina Shaaban, Advisor to the President of Syria; ĂaÄrı Erhan, Rector, Altinbas University; and Amal Abu Zeid, Lebanese presidential adviser.
This year, the Middle East conference is taking place amid exceptional circumstances: the unfolding of Europeâs largest security crisis in decades. The Ukrainian crisis is the culmination of the process of the West-centric international order crumbling. The current conflict affects the entire world, including the Middle East, a dynamically developing region that is gradually freeing itself from the influence of the West.
The Middle East has been one of the strategic constants that remains on the agenda of Russian politics, regardless of what happens in other areas. The purpose of the conference is to discuss the impact of the European and global crises on the state of affairs in the Middle East, as well as Russiaâs relations with the countries of the region.
During the conference, the experts will discuss the following issues:
đč Prospects for a regional security system in the Middle East;
đč The Ukrainian crisis and Middle Eastern countries;
đč The transformation of the transport and logistics system of Eurasia under Western restrictions;
đč Impact of the international crisis on the hydrocarbon market;
đč Formation of a polycentric system in the Middle East.
A new Valdai Club report has been prepared specially for the Middle East conference, titled âThe Middle East and the Future of the Polycentric Worldâ, which examines the position of the region in the global system. The authors refer to the internal and external factors that determine the situation and offer three possible scenarios for the development of the regional system in the Middle East.
https://valdaiclub.com/events/announcements/12th-middle-east-conference-of-the-valdai-discussion-club/
Working languages: English, Arabic, Russian.
Information for the media: Dear journalists, in order to be accredited for the event, please fill out the form on our website. If you have any questions about the event, please call +79269307763. Accreditation will conclude on February 27 at 5:00 pm, Moscow Time.
Open sessions will be broadcast on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, Twitter, VKontakte, Telegram and Zen.
#MiddleEast
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2023-02-15 16:23:26+00:00
đ· On February 15, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion in partnership with the Iranian Institute of Political and International Studies (IPIS), dedicated to relations between Russia and Iran in the face of confrontation with the West.
Photo gallery of the discussion is available on VK.
The video of the discussion is available via this link.
Stay tuned!
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2023-02-15 12:45:01+00:00
UPD: The livestream is over. The video of the discussion is available via the same link. Stay tuned!
đ„ LIVE: at 16:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host an expert discussion in partnership with the Iranian Institute of Political and International Studies (IPIS), dedicated to relations between Russia and Iran in the face of confrontation with the West.
https://vk.com/video-214192832_456239072
#Valdai_ThinkTank #Iran
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2023-02-15 12:15:09+00:00
đšđł The notion has taken root in China that significant economic, technological and military power by no means guarantee its ability to set the vector of development of world processes and its shift towards a pursuit of great power status.
As it is seen in Beijing, the economic and military power accumulated by China over four decades of reforms and opening up has not been properly converted into Chinaâs influence on the world stage. Moreover, the countryâs newfound national power not only did not make China universally attractive, but, on the contrary, increased the fears of individual countries about China and its intentions on the world stage, prompting them to launch an information and narrative war against China.
Approximately since 2004-2005, China has been taken with the concept of âsoft cultural powerâ, but probably considers it insufficiently effective in strengthening of Chinaâs influence on the world stage. So, the past few years, the ideologists of Chinese foreign policy have turned to the promising concept of âdiscursive power.â This concept not only became the subject of research and expert discussions by prominent Chinese political scientists, but began to appear in the speeches of the President of the PRC and in official party and government documents starting in 2015.
Some allege that Beijing intends to reduce its foreign policy activity, return to Deng Xiaopingâs guidelines for pursuing a âpassiveâ foreign policy and move towards direction of âclosingâ China from the world. On the contrary, one should expect an intensification of Chinaâs efforts to strengthen its positions in the world, including by building up âdiscursive power,â writes Valdai Club expert Yana Leksyutina.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/chinese-transfer-from-soft-to-discursive-power/
#Asia_and_Eurasia #China
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2023-02-15 11:48:52+00:00
đ ANNOUNCEMENT: On February 16 at 16:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host an expert discussion, titled âRussia and the Struggle Against Neo-Colonialism: The End of the Western Dictate?â
The problem of global equality and the right to development is one of the key issues in modern world politics and economics. The gap between North and South, between the collective West and the rest of humanity, persists despite all efforts to overcome it during the half century after the collapse of the colonial system. Closing this gap is now one of the important elements of the Sustainable Development Goals put forward under the auspices of the UN. However, these goals are unlikely to be achieved within the next decade.
Against this background, the activity of international associations in which developing countries are widely represented, such as the G20 and BRICS, as well as regional structures, is especially important. Within the framework of the BRICS, a unique system of values and political principles is being shaped, aimed at achieving global equality, law and development, as well as moving away from colonial dependence on Western countries. Today Russia is at the epicenter of confrontation with the West and, according to a number of experts, can lead international efforts aimed at breaking down the neo-colonial system.
âWhat risks arise from the widening gap between North and South?
âWhat steps need to be taken to close this gap?
âWhat role can the BRICS countries and Russia in particular play in this process?
Participants of the discussion will answer these and other questions.
đ Speakers:
đ·đșđșđł Dmitry Polyanskiy, First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN
đ·đș Vasily Koltashov, director of the Institute of the New Society
đșđž Keith Bennett, researcher, consultant on Chinaâs international relations, co-editor of the Friends of Socialist China platform (United States)
đšđŠ Radhika Desai, Professor at the Department of Political Studies and Director, Geopolitical Economy Research Group, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
đżđŠ Rasigan Maharajh, Chief Director of the Institute for Economic Research on Innovation at the Tshwane University of Technology (South Africa)
Moderator:
đ© Oleg Barabanov, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club
https://valdaiclub.com/events/announcements/valdai-club-to-discuss-russia-and-the-fight-against-neo-colonialism/
Working languages: Russian, English.
âčïž Information for the media: In order to get accredited for the event, please fill out the form on our website or call +79269307763.
A link to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, Twitter, VKontakte, Telegram and Zen.
#Norms_and_Values #NeoColonialism
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2023-02-15 11:40:36+00:00
đđ·đș Africa is a promising continent with broad prospects for economic growth. It is very rich in both natural and human resources.
đč Africa has 30% of the worldâs total minerals, 10% of oil reserves, 8% of gas reserves, and nearly 60% of the worldâs untapped agricultural area.
đč By 2040, Africa will have the largest labour force, as a quarter of the worldâs population will live there; with young people accounting for more than 60%.
Although Africa possesses all the requirements needed for development and economic breakthroughs, it still suffers from hunger, poverty, poor living standards, and political instability. Over long decades of colonialism, Western countries exploited Africa and drained its wealth without investing in any development.
Africa needs fair and balanced partnerships in order to help it face its problems and move toward the future. Unlike Western countries, which view Africa as an arena for international competition, Moscow seeks development partnerships based on a win-win principle.
The Russian-African partnership is the core for a new multipolar world order that would be more fair and just for all. Africa expects a lot from Russia. Historical cooperation between the two and the huge capabilities that Russia possesses confirm its ability to meet these expectations and move forward together to the future, writes Valdai Club expert Nourhan ElSheikh.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/what-africa-expects-from-russia/
#Norms_and_Values #Africa #Russia
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2023-02-15 09:30:01+00:00
â° TODAY at 16:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host an expert discussion in partnership with the Iranian Institute of Political and International Studies (IPIS), dedicated to relations between Russia and Iran in the face of confrontation with the West.
âHow do Russia and Iran regard cooperation in Eurasia amid the new conditions?
âWhat impetus is being acquired by energy, financial and transport projects with the participation of Russia and Iran against the backdrop of the crisis in Europe?
âIn what multilateral formats does cooperation between Moscow and Tehran look most promising?
Participants of the expert discussion will answer these and other questions.
A link to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, Twitter, VKontakte, Telegram and Zen.
#Valdai_ThinkTank #Iran
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2023-02-13 14:16:20+00:00
đ ANNOUNCEMENT: On February 15 at 16:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host an expert discussion in partnership with the Iranian Institute of Political and International Studies (IPIS), dedicated to relations between Russia and Iran in the face of confrontation with the West.
Russia and Iran share a strategic partnership that is steadily deepening amid the largest security crisis in Europe. Economic and trade ties are developing, and the countries plan to increase the share of national currencies in mutual settlements.
Russian experts are watching current aggravations in the Middle East with concern; at the initiative of the United States and Israel, pressure on Iran is growing. Washingtonâs latest stage of sanctions pressure on Tehran has led to a deadlock in negotiations on the JCPOA. At the same time, there are plans to unfreeze Iranâs relations with a number of Arab countries, which may become a milestone in regional policy, which is being gradually freed from the legacy of confrontations of the Cold War era.
âHow do Russia and Iran regard cooperation in Eurasia amid the new conditions?
âWhat impetus is being acquired by energy, financial and transport projects with the participation of Russia and Iran against the backdrop of the crisis in Europe?
âIn what multilateral formats does cooperation between Moscow and Tehran look most promising?
Participants of the expert discussion will answer these and other questions.
đSpeakers:
đ·đș Alexander Maryasov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Iran (2001-2005)
đ·đș Adlan Margoev, Research Fellow, Centre for Middle East Studies, Institute for International Studies, MGIMO, Russian Foreign Ministry
đźđ· Khalil Shirqolami, Vice-President for Research, IPIS
đźđ· Ali Eqbali, Head of the Study Group for Eurasia, IPIS
đźđ· Alireza Miryousefi, Head of the Study Group for International issues, IPISÂ Â Â
đźđ· Manuchehr Moradi, Senior Expert, IPIS
Moderator:
đ© Andrey Sushentsov, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club
https://valdaiclub.com/events/announcements/valdai-club-to-discuss-relations-between-russia-and-iran/
Working languages: Russian, English.
âčïž Information for the media: In order to get accredited for the event, please fill out the form on our website or call +79269307763.
A link to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, Twitter, VKontakte, Telegram and Zen.
#Valdai_ThinkTank #Iran
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2023-02-13 12:41:26+00:00
đźđ± The 1988 election poster of the Likud party read: âOn the left is only the sea!â Benjamin Netanyahu came as close as possible to the slogan of almost 35 years ago, having formed perhaps the most right-wing government in Israeli history.
The increased likelihood of a large-scale escalation of the Middle East conflict, which is also associated with the latest transit of power in Israel, worries not only the international community and peace mediators, but also foreign investors, forcing them to reconsider their strategy of maintaining a presence in the country. Of concern is Benjamin Netanyahuâs failure to deter potentially risky activities from far-right members of his cabinet, writes Elizaveta Yakimova, Research fellow at the Department of Israel and Jewish Communities, RAS Institute of Oriental Studies.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/how-benjamin-netanyahu-s-right-turn-affects/
#EconomicStatecraft #Israel
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2023-02-13 12:30:44+00:00
đȘ The unprecedented hardships of the real war that Ukraine is now facing could be significantly less if the government of Vladimir Zelensky showed it was ready to pursue a diplomatic settlement of the crisis.
Russia has repeatedly come up with diplomatic initiatives to resolve this conflict.
For example, at its first stage, such negotiations took place in Belarus and, later, in Turkey. However, under the influence of the United States and Britain, the government of Zelensky took a course of prolonging the conflict, counting on the fact that military assistance from the West would allow Ukraine to achieve its goals during this crisis.
It is unlikely that Zelensky is counting on a military victory for his country. For this, Ukraine does not have its own military-economic resources, and the funds provided by the West will never be sufficient to inflict a final defeat on Russia.
Probably, the calculation of the president of Ukraine is based on offering Ukraine as a tool for the West in the fight against Russia, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Andrey Sushentsov.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/why-does-zelensky-need-a-long-conflict-with-russia/
#ModernDiplomacy #Ukraine
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2023-02-11 09:10:14+00:00
đžđŸ The international community needs a qualitative change in its approach to solve the humanitarian crisis in Syria.
In 2021, only 27% of the required amount was allocated for the humanitarian needs of ordinary Syrians. It seems important that the members of the UN Security Council continue to maintain a dialogue on a cross-border mechanism for the supply of humanitarian assistance.
At the same time, it is important to facilitate the return to Syria of refugees who are now in other countries. Rebuilding infrastructure would motivate Syrians to return rather than stay in refugee camps in neighbouring countries (Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, etc.).
As the most serious threat that in the medium term can provoke another wave of the humanitarian crisis in Syria, one should wait for a possible Turkish military operation in the country. Ankaraâs previous campaigns have damaged critical Syrian civilian infrastructure, disrupting water supplies and interrupting power generation. The intensification of hostilities can aggravate the humanitarian problems of Syria, which will inevitably provoke a new wave of local migration and worsen the living conditions of those Syrians who remain in the country.
The humanitarian crisis is likely to worsen due to the devastating earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria in February 2023, writes Ivan Bocharov, RIAC Program Coordinator.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/earthquake-in-syria-what-to-save-/
#EconomicStatecraft #Syria
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2023-02-10 10:52:48+00:00
đ·đșđȘđș It is very likely that in order to better understand future interaction with Europe, Russia needs to alter its perspective somewhat.
For more than two decades after the end of the Cold War, Russia's policy towards the European Union proceeded from the possibility that in the new conditions, this association of states would be able to restore the positions lost by its leading participants as a result of the two World Wars.
Russia thought that amid the new state of international politics, where there are no clear dividing lines and the factor of brute force is not decisive, Europe would be able to gradually free itself of complete control by the United States. Moreover, such confidence was supported in every possible way by the actions of the Europeans themselves.
Now we are living in a new international reality. It is impossible yet to say with certainty how devastating the consequences of the military-political clash around Ukraine will be for other European states. But even in the event that the conflict remains within the framework of continuing diplomatic interaction and the parties manage to avoid the most dangerous forms of escalation, thoughts regarding the independence of Western Europe have departed for good, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Timofei Bordachev.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/how-china-can-help-reimagine-europe/
#Asia_and_Eurasia #EU #Russia #China
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2023-02-10 10:43:32+00:00
âïž The Baltic Region in a New Reality: From Cooperation to Conflict
On February 9, the Valdai Club held an expert discussion titled âThe Baltic Region: What Will the Unprecedented Militarisation Lead to?â Timofei Bordachev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club, acted as moderator and asked the participants whether cooperation in the region has ceased forever, and whether it is in Russiaâs interests to do something to bring it back to the regional agenda.
đŹ Alexander Grushko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, emphasised that the geopolitical ambitions of the West have turned the recently calm and peaceful Baltic region into an arena of military competition. âI think everyone is dreaming now of the times of former boredom,â he said. Giving a brief historical outline of the formation of a security system in the region in the context of the development of arms control, Grushko demonstrated how the destructive activities of NATO led to a turn from building regional security on the principles of restraint to the militarisation of the region and its involvement in the military construction of the North Atlantic Alliance. âThis is a new reality that forces us to take appropriate military-technical precautions,â the diplomat admitted.
đŹ Igor Istomin, Leading Research Fellow at the Center for Advanced American Studies, MGIMO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, called the recent history of the Baltic region an example of the transformation from cooperation with Russia into a new locus of conflict. He noted that countries that until recently sought to act as intermediaries and points of rapprochement are now at the forefront of the anti-Russian agenda. Istomin also pointed to the duality of NATO's policy: on the one hand, the alliance considers a direct clash with Russia a catastrophic scenario, but, on the other hand, the countries of the Baltic region, which have taken a hardline anti-Russian position, constantly provoke Russia and try to induce other members of the bloc to do so, which poses a risk of escalation.
đŹ Swedish political scientist Gregory Simons, describing Stockholmâs current course of action, noted that Sweden has moved away from its tradition of neutrality and, as a result, has turned from a subject of international relations into an object. The same, he said, applies to Finland. He emphasised that the Western-centric world order is increasingly filled with ideological, messianic conflicts with the interests of the non-Western world, which is becoming more and more pragmatic. Within the framework of this world order, the United States seeks to make European countries completely dependent on itself. Simons believes that the proxy conflict in Ukraine is also aimed at this.
đŹ Konstantin Khudolei, Head of the Department of European Studies at the Faculty of International Relations at St Petersburg University, considers the situation in the region to be at its most unfavourable and alarming since the end of World War II. He noted that a serious shift has taken place in the political elites and societies of Finland and Sweden, making the entry of these countries into the North Atlantic Alliance almost inevitable. In his opinion, this will create a situation in the Baltic region similar to the one that developed after the Second World War in the Elbe region, threatening to lead to significant militarization and a general aggravation of tension. In addition, this will strengthen NATO's position in the Arctic.
https://valdaiclub.com/events/posts/articles/the-baltic-region-in-a-new-reality-from-cooperation-to-conflict/
#Asia_and_Eurasia #BalticRegion #NATO #militarisation
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2023-02-09 16:07:36+00:00
đ· On February 9, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion, titled âThe Baltic Region: What Will the Unprecedented Militarisation Lead to?â
Photo gallery of the discussion is available on VK.
The video of the discussion is available via this link.
Stay tuned!
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2023-02-09 12:45:11+00:00
UPD: The livestream is over. The video of the discussion is available via the same link. Stay tuned!
đ„ LIVE: at 16:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3) we are starting an expert discussion, titled âThe Baltic Region: What Will the Unprecedented Militarisation Lead to?â
https://vk.com/video-214192832_456239071
#EconomicStatecraft #BalticRegion #NATO #militarisation
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2023-02-09 12:27:00+00:00
đžđȘđ«đźđčđ· The process of Sweden and Finland acceding to NATO membership is not over yet. But recent developments show that a delay is inevitable due to tense relations between Turkey and Sweden.
28 member states of NATO, out of 30, have already approved Sweden and Finlandâs accession to the alliance. After Hungaryâs ratification, there is a risk that Turkey would be labelled as the sole gatekeeper. Still, it is not likely for Turkey to hurry up ratification. In May, there will be parliamentary and presidential elections, and the issue has already become a feature of domestic politics in Turkey.
Looking at the current equation, there are three scenarios before us:
Â
1ïžâŁ First, Turkey may decide to ratify the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO before the elections. Such a scenario would necessitate a shift in the position of Stockholm, which would include the prevention of PKK protests, measures being taken against provocative demonstrations, and the extradition of terrorism suspects to Turkey.
2ïžâŁ Second, Turkey may decide to ratify the accession of Finland to NATO and leave Sweden in the waiting room. This possibility has been articulated by Turkish officials, including President ErdoÄan himself. Nevertheless, the Finnish officials have declared that they would like to join the alliance together with Sweden. Still, any change in the position of Finland may push this scenario forward. Ratifying Finlandâs membership to NATO can help the AK Party explain itself more easily to the alliance rather than being portrayed as a gatekeeper.
3ïžâŁ The third scenario is leaving the ratification to a date after the elections in May. In this case, there is a risk that Finland and Sweden may not participate in the summit in Vilnius as full members.Â
The AK Party has a conservative constituency and the issue has already become a matter of defending the dignity of Islam and Turkey. Thus, the Turkish president will use any shift in the position of Stockholm as leverage in the elections, while the stubbornness of Sweden legitimises Turkeyâs position to blockade the expansion.
Looking at this picture, the dynamics of domestic politics in Turkey and Sweden have shaped the future of the North Atlantic Alliance, writes Hasan Selim Ăzertem, Ankara-based political analyst.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/turkey-s-relations-with-sweden-the-puzzle-of-nato/
#ModernDiplomacy #Turkey #NATO #Sweden #Finland
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2023-02-09 10:35:01+00:00
â° TODAY at 16:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host an expert discussion, titled âThe Baltic Region: What Will the Unprecedented Militarisation Lead to?â
âWhat are the limits of escalation in the Baltic Sea region?
âHow realistic are the risks of a direct military clash between Russia and NATO in the region?
âHow will institutions of multilateral cooperation develop in the Baltic Sea region?
Participants of the discussion will answer these and other questions.
A link to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, Twitter, VKontakte, Telegram and Zen.
#EconomicStatecraft #BalticRegion #NATO #militarisation
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2023-02-08 12:55:22+00:00
đ If you look at human history, as a rule, political actions are explained by the desire to achieve the most good for the largest number of people.
But the concepts of âthe goodâ have always been different. There is the salvation of the soul with the help of true faith, there is freedom, including freedom of religion, and there is simple prosperity, and protection from enemies, and much, much more.
Recently, the mainstream interpretation of the good, developed mainly in the so-called Western countries, but, of course, not only there, is based on humanistic values associated with human rights and the opposition of democracy to authoritarianism and/or totalitarianism.
In a democracy, people are supposed to make their own decisions, find a balance of interests, live in a legal system that protects everyone, and in general their quality of life improves more or less uniformly. So everyone gets better and better. Authoritarianism, according to the same mainstream zeitgeist, limits people, makes them victims of arbitrariness, toys in the hands of the authorities. In this sense, the goal of historical development is the establishment of democracy everywhere.
Of course, this approach greatly oversimplifies reality. A correct system of coordinates, a system of terms is needed, which â when discussing what is happening in the world â we will understand it approximately the same way, writes Valdai Club Chairman Andrey Bystritskiy.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/chairman-speech/times-of-great-confusion/
#valdaiclub #WorldOrder #democracy #authoritarianism
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2023-02-07 12:19:46+00:00
đ©đȘđ·đș The escalation of the Ukrainian crisis in February 2022 changed the attitude of German officials towards Russia and its society.
There was a radical simplification of the image of Russia in Germany to a contrasting black and white image, without halftones. Most of Russian society has been subjected to systemic demonization, having experienced all the âachievementsâ of Western âcancel cultureâ.
The search for âgood Russiansâ by German politicians ended in Berlin, where a ârepresentativeâ community of opposition-minded Russians settled. It is these people who have now come to be regarded as a convenient substitute for the diverse breadth of Russian society.
For the first time in a long time, Germany could be completely satisfied with a dialogue with Russian representatives; there are no controversial subjects, since there is no independent interlocutor either.
The further Berlin moves away from direct communication with Moscow, the weaker will be the relevance of its assessments of what is happening not only within Russian-German relations, but also in relation to processes in the post-Soviet space, writes Valdai Club expert Artyom Sokolov.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/dialogue-of-the-deaf-prospects/
#ModernDiplomacy #Germany #UkraineCrisis
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2023-02-06 12:40:43+00:00
đ ANNOUNCEMENT: On February 9, at 16:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host an expert discussion, titled âThe Baltic Region: What Will the Unprecedented Militarisation Lead to?â
The Baltic Sea region remains one of the most vulnerable in terms of security and the risk of escalation in relations between Russia and NATO. Against the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine, an unprecedented militarisation was launched. Finland and Sweden head towards NATO membership.
The defence spending of other regional players which are NATO members has increased significantly. The militarisation of Poland and Germany is especially noticeable.
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland are at the forefront of the anti-Russian political line in both NATO and the EU.
The risks of a transport blockade of the Kaliningrad region and a threat to Russian shipping are growing, including Estoniaâs recent statements about the contiguous zone. Military deterrence and sanctions are the common denominator of the regionâs policy towards Russia. At the same time, the accumulated economic ties with Russia, as well as formats of multilateral dialogue, are being eroded. Russia, for its part, is building the capacity needed to maintain resilience in the event of further escalation.
âWhat are the limits of escalation in the Baltic Sea region?
âHow realistic are the risks of a direct military clash between Russia and NATO in the region?
âHow will institutions of multilateral cooperation develop in the Baltic Sea region?
Participants of the discussion will answer these and other questions.
đ Speakers:
đ·đș Alexander Grushko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation
đ·đș Igor Istomin, Acting Head of the Department of Applied Analysis of International Problems (PAMP); Leading Research Fellow, Center for Advanced American Studies, MGIMO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia
đ·đș Konstantin Khudolei, Head of the Department of European Studies at the Faculty of International Relations at St. Petersburg State University
đžđȘ Gregory Simons, independent expert (Sweden)
Moderator:
đ© Timofei Bordachev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club
https://valdaiclub.com/events/announcements/valdai-club-to-discuss-the-unprecedented-militarisation-of-the-baltic-region/
Working languages: Russian, English.
âčïž Information for the media: In order to get accredited for the event, please fill out the form on our website or call +79269307763.
A link to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, Twitter, VKontakte, Telegram and Zen.
#EconomicStatecraft #BalticRegion #NATO #militarisation
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2023-02-06 12:26:26+00:00
đœđȘ The prolongation of the military crisis in Ukraine is fully in line with American military-political interests.
There are eight arguments in favour of the fact that the United States intends to prolong this conflict.
1ïžâŁ First, this means the relative weakening of Russia, which is forced to allocate significant resources to eliminate the source of military threats in Ukraine, as well as for its political goals in ensuring it an equal status in the structure of European security at the post-war stage.
2ïžâŁ Second, the US is interested in breaking up Russian-European energy cooperation. It has evolved over many decades since the Cold War era. The Americans mean to replace Russiaâs role in European energy consumption and to strengthen their own American production.
3ïžâŁ Third, the US seeks to eliminate any impulses of strategic autonomy from the states of the European Union. The Ukrainian crisis has provided a golden opportunity for this.
4ïžâŁ Fourth, the United States does not want to allow a symbolic defeat for Ukraine, in which a lot of financial, political and symbolic capital has been invested over the past year. The defeat of Ukraine would be regarded as a sensitive symbolic defeat for the West.
5ïžâŁ Fifth, the US has not backed down from the ideological imperative to defend what it interprets as âfreedomâ. In the situation around Ukraine, there is a Manichaean understanding of the struggle of âfreedom against non-freedom.â
6ïžâŁ The sixth goal of the United States is to encourage Europe to activate its own military industry and remilitarise it. The United States recognises that a prolonged military rivalry is impossible if solely attempted by American forces. Moreover, the United States understands the growing threat from China and that in the near future its resources will be diverted to confrontation in the Pacific Ocean.
7ïžâŁ Seventh, the United States is striving for a general consolidation of European allies on the platform of combating such âgrowingâ opponents of the United States as Russia, China and Iran.
8ïžâŁ Finally, eighth, the goal of the United States in Ukraine is to kick-start its own reindustrialisation. An important goal is to scale up the military-industrial complex of this country.
In general, strategic planning in Washington cares little about the end of the Ukrainian crisis: whether Ukraine remains within its current borders, loses its territories, or disappears altogether, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Andrey Sushentsov.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/why-does-the-united-states-seek-to-prolong/
#ModernDiplomacy #UkrainianCrisis #UnitedStates
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2023-02-03 13:22:22+00:00
đđ The shift of the discussion on relations between Russia and the West to the military-technical sphere is still very limited.
Of course, we cannot say with certainty that a sudden and dramatic escalation between Russia and the United States is impossible. Moreover, there are a number of factors that could contribute to it â this is, first of all, the uncertain position of certain formal US allies: Poland and the Baltic States. It cannot be ruled out that the more active involvement of these states in the conflict with Russia may lead to threats to their territory, about which the US will have to make a very serious choice.
So far, Russia, like the West, has demonstrated a high degree of internal stability and the ability to continue the struggle. This makes it difficult to predict when the parties will feel the need to return to the negotiating table. However, one should not succumb to emotions and exclude the possibility that the Russian proposals of a year ago may still become a subject of discussion, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Timofei Bordachev.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/continuing-diplomacy-by-other-means/
#Asia_and_Eurasia #UkrainianCrisis
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2023-02-03 08:52:15+00:00
đȘđșâïž Sanctions against Moscow are one of the most important priorities for the EU.Â
A new position has appeared in the bureaucracy of the European Union - the International Special Envoy for the Implementation of EU Sanctions. This post will be held by David O'Sullivan, who previously was the Ambassador of the European Union to the United States.
The primary task in this area will be to persuade as many countries as possible to formally implement the EU sanctions regime.
First of all, we are talking about diplomatic work with countries that have not implemented the sanctions against Russia, which actively continue to do business with Moscow, thereby undermining its isolation.
What does the appointment mean, what will the new official do, and how effective can his activity be for the political goals of the EU? Writes Ivan Timofeev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/what-to-expect-from-the-eu-special-envoy/
#EconomicStatecraft #sanctions #EU
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2023-02-02 11:34:44+00:00
đ China was one of the first to realise that it is impossible to win in a game on a foreign field according to someone elseâs rules.
Now it is trying not so much to succeed in a competition with an opponent who rewrites these rules on the fly, but to defend the opportunity to play its own way.
âRulesâ are the socio-political discourse that on a global scale is still being constructed primarily in the United States. As long as most of the world looks at China and all Chinaâs actions on the world stage through the eyes of the West, the stability of the system built in the PRC will always be in jeopardy.
It is in China that the concepts of âdiscourseâ and âdiscourse systemâ are included in the reports of the countryâs leadership â they were voiced at the recent 20th Congress of the ruling Communist Party. Perhaps nowhere else in the world do they pay such attention to these concepts, writes Valdai Club expert Ivan Zuenko.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/who-controls-the-discourse-organises-the-world/
#ModernDiplomacy #China
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2023-02-01 08:49:47+00:00
đ·đș What could be the strategy and policy of Russia in the current conditions, a year after the start of the special military operation in Ukraine?
The result of the conflict has already been a radical change in the external environment in which Russia is located.
đč Its political relations with the collective West and its allies have become openly hostile: the armed conflict in Ukraine is the Westâs proxy war against Russia.
đč Economic relations with this part of the world have been completely undermined and are shrinking like shagreen leather.
đč Cultural, scientific, sports and humanitarian ties have drastically declined; the information war has gained maximum intensity, and in Europe again - now at the initiative of the West - an "iron curtain" has fallen.
It is important to understand that all this is not just another zigzag in our country's centuries-old relations with its Western neighbours, but a deep protracted conflict with long-term consequences.
Russia's former strategy, starting with Peter the Great, of Europeanising the country and occupying a prominent place among the great powers of Europe and the West, is no longer relevant, writes Dmitri Trenin, research professor at the Higher School of Economics and a leading researcher at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/politics-and-strategy/
#ModernDiplomacy #Russia #strategy
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2023-02-21 17:44:59+00:00
đ Middle East Without Hegemony and Universality
On February 20, on the eve of the 12th Middle East Conference, the Valdai Club presented a report titled âThe Middle East and the Future of a Polycentric Worldâ. The moderator was Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club.
đŹ The co-author of the report, Vitaly Naumkin, scientific director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, spoke about the scenarios for the development of the Middle East formulated in the report. The first of them involves the transformation of the Middle East region into an independent centre of power in the new polycentric world. This would require a greater homogeneity in the Middle East, as well as a reduction of the fractures outlined in the report. The second scenario is the withdrawal of the region to the periphery of world politics. The third scenario entails the adjoining of certain parts of the Middle East and North Africa to other global political centres, that is, in fact, the division of the region into a European-oriented Maghreb and a Eurasian Mashrik.
đŹ The second co-author of the report, Vasily Kuznetsov, head of the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, called the report a warning that underscores the serious, fundamental challenges that the Middle East is facing. He stressed that although the events that have been taking place in the global world over the past year may give the impression that nothing important is happening in the Middle East region, the underlying transformational processes that are going on there are of great importance for the whole world. He also said that one idea in the report was particularly important: that the Middle East remains a space in which positive interaction between the centres of world politics is possible in reducing global threats and global conflict.
đŹ Yahya Zubir, a senior fellow at the Qatari Middle East Council for Global Affairs, described the report as a deep and correct overview of the situation in the region. He pointed out that for many countries in the Middle East, the BRICS group has become the centre of attraction. He stressed that the reaction of the countries of the region to pressure from the West is the search for alternatives and movement towards a world without hegemony. Basically, it's about a clash of values. The universality that was imposed on the region before is no longer there; the new colonialism has been met with rejection in the Middle East and a transition to polycentricity is taking place.
đŹ ĂaÄrı Erhan, the rector at Altinbas University, noted that the concept of the Middle East is expanding all the time and now the region includes territories located in Asia, Africa and Europe. He stressed that the changes in the Middle East should be analysed in the context of global changes. Europe and the United States are losing their former undivided influence in the region, and India and China are becoming new centres of power. This leads to more complex scenarios in the Middle East, when the interests of old and new players clash there, which increases tension and leads to a change in the concept of regional security.
https://valdaiclub.com/events/posts/articles/middle-east-without-hegemony-and-universality/
#mideastvaldai #valdai_report #MiddleEast
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2023-02-22 16:07:48+00:00
âïžđ In the 21st century conditions, in addition to general socio-economic inequality, new forms of inequality are becoming increasingly important.
One of them is closely connected with the climate agenda, as a large-scale green transformation is now on the agenda of certain international institutions and individual states.
The solution of these problems is possible only through additional compensation being provided by the developed countries to the developing world.
đč It is necessary to actively use and implement best practices and technologies around the world that will ensure sustainable consumption and production that do not exacerbate climate change, including by providing equal access to mineral fertilizers for developing countries.
đč The use of the system of financial innovations should also become widespread. This will require a high level of solidarity on the part of the rich countries towards the poor.
đč It is also critical that the global policy focus should be on eliminating overconsumption in the developed world, rather than perpetuating barriers to under-consumption in the developing world.
In the context of Indiaâs G20 Presidency, Prime Minister Modi's LiFE (Life for Environment) programme is becoming an extremely important mechanism for creating fair new values of equality, both in access to fuel and energy, and in production and consumption for the future of mankind, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Oleg Barabanov.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/international-institutions-fighting-inequality/
#Norms_and_Values #inequality #overconsumption #climatechange
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2023-02-23 16:45:01+00:00
đ·đș February 24 marks the first anniversary of the start of the special military operation (SMO) announced by the Russian leadership. This day a year ago, without any exaggeration, was one that divided Russian history into âbeforeâ and âafterâ.
It is clear that great things are seen at a distance, and trying now to provide any kind of âfinalâ assessment of what is happening and determine its historical significance, would be approximately the same as reflecting in autumn of 1918 on the historical significance of the October Revolution that took place a year before. Then, the whole struggle was still ahead. The same can be said now. How the wheel of history would turn, no one knew in 1918, and no one knows today.
If we talk about the perception of the past year in Russian society, then we can start, oddly enough at first glance, with semantics and semiotics â in relation to the very abbreviation âSMOâ.
The term âwarâ, as we all know, is being avoided in official Russian discourse. To a certain extent, how willingly this or that Russian uses this phrase âspecial military operationâ in his speech can serve as a marker of his attitude to what is happening, writes Valdai Club Programme Director Oleg Barabanov.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/the-first-year-of-the-conflict-the-semantics/
#Norms_and_Values #SMO #MilitaryOperation #UkraineCrisis
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2023-02-27 10:15:01+00:00
đ TOMORROW, on February 28, at 11:30 Moscow Time, the Valdai Club 12th Middle East Conference, titled âThe New Middle East and the Security Crisis in Europe: Effects of Mutual Influence,â will start.
The two-day conference will be held at the Clubâs Moscow office with the support of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
đ„ The Middle East Conference will be attended by about 50 leading experts dealing with the region, including active politicians and intellectuals from 18 countries, including Algeria, China, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, and UAE.
During the conference, the experts will discuss the following issues:
đč Prospects for a regional security system in the Middle East;
đč The Ukrainian crisis and Middle Eastern countries;
đč The transformation of the transport and logistics system of Eurasia under Western restrictions;
đč Impact of the international crisis on the hydrocarbon market;
đč Formation of a polycentric system in the Middle East.
A new Valdai Club report has been prepared specially for the Middle East conference, titled âThe Middle East and the Future of the Polycentric Worldâ, which examines the position of the region in the global system.
Working languages: English, Arabic, Russian.
âčïž Information for the media: Accreditation will conclude on February 27 at 5:00 pm, Moscow Time.
đ Programme
Open sessions will be broadcast on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, Twitter, VKontakte, Telegram and Zen.
#mideastvaldai #valdaiclub #valdai_programme #MiddleEast
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2023-02-27 17:53:21+00:00
đđ What makes a true superpower stand above the rest?
Until now, the key criteria for a âsuperpowerâ have mainly been considered by scholars in a material way. A superpower must have economic potential that far exceeds that of other countries, military power, critical technologies, a developed scientific and industrial base, and human capital. The totality of such material opportunities provides measurable, albeit not controversial, criteria for ranking countries.
The situation with non-material factors is much more complicated. Their quantitative measurement is difficult, if not impossible. Their assessment is too subjective and potentially vulnerable to distortion. Whose culture is stronger? Whose ethics are correct? Whose value system is better? Such questions lead to value-oriented disputes, but do little to distinguish the superpowers from other players in the international arena. Meanwhile, this is where one of the most important criteria lies.
The Valdai Club Programme Director Ivan Timofeev writes that a noticeable difference between a superpower and other states, along with the superiority of material factors, is the presence of a systemic and consistent political philosophy of international relations. The superpower offers its own unique view of how exactly the world should be arranged, according to what rules it should exist, what its goal is, and why this particular superpower is legitimate in its role.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/political-philosophy-an-attribute-of-a-superpower/
#EconomicStatecraft #superpower #worldorder #UnitedStates #China
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2023-02-28 18:30:23+00:00
đ€ The emergence of âNew Economic Orderâ would transform the way logistics and transport in global market is being carried out.
In the wake of Special Military Operation in Ukraine, the Russian economy is adapting its logistics to tackle the emerging situation, to deal with the sanctions imposed by the United States and European Union.
Russia is improving its ties with non-Western allies particularly Asia and Eurasia for market diversification. As a result, Russia is giving major attention to long delayed International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which is now being considered as the potential economic pathway for Russia against the sanctions.
The North-South Transport Corridor member countries must contribute effectively for the overall development of corridor i.e., the improvement of inland waterways, security of container and general cargo terminals in Caspian ports, the modernization of border crossing points and the construction of logistics hubs and roadside service facilities, writes Muhammad Athar Javed, founder, CEO of Pakistan House, especially for the 12th Valdai Club Middle East conference.
https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/logistics-of-the-21st-century-new-economic-order/
#mideastvaldai #Eurasia #transportation