Russia in Global Affairs

Could relations between NATO and Russia have developed in a different way? The West believes that the persistence of Russia, which continued to consider NATO a threat to its security, led to the current military crisis. And, in fact, this became a self-fulfilling prophecy. But even assuming that this was true, the speed and ease with which NATO returned to a strong confrontation with Russia shows that it had been prepared for this.  Russia’s memorandum of December 2021 and the 2022 military operation in Ukraine were designed to put an end to the idea of NATO’s uncontested expansion as the only means of ensuring European security. Two-and-a-half years later, we see that the scale of the conflict has exceeded all initial expectations. Judging by Moscow’s statements, the confrontation may only come to an end when the principles on which European security is based are fundamentally reconsidered. This is not a territorial conflict, but a conflict which may only end when NATO abandons its main goal and function. So far, there is no compromise on the horizon, writes Fyodor Lukyanov @ru_global, Editor-in-Chief of Russia in Global Affairs magazine. https://eng.globalaffairs.ru/articles/only-way-to-end-confrontation/ 📖 Subscribe to the magazine 🌐 Russia in Global Affairs

India's pursuit of "strategic autonomy," somewhat akin to that of France, underlines a broader global strategy to balance great power politics without becoming overly dependent on any single ally. Modi's new administration will now aim to navigate these complexities by fostering diverse international ties while retaining the flexibility to enhance its bilateral relationships with pivotal players like Russia, writes Hriday Ch. Sarma. https://eng.globalaffairs.ru/articles/modi-3-0/ #India #NarendraModi 📖 Subscribe to the magazine 🌐 Russia in Global Affairs

In light of the recent news about launching strategic partnership between Russia and the DPRK, we have compiled a selection of articles on North Korea from Russia in Global Affairs magazine and the Opinions section of our website: 🖇️ North Korea: The End of Strategic Seclusion? 🖇️ Russia’s Relations with the Korean Peninsula States in Perspective 🖇️ The DPRK Nuclear Weaponry: Dyad or Alternative Triad? #DPRK #NorthKorea 📖 Subscribe to the magazine 🌐 Russia in Global Affairs

Soft power is a globalist phenomenon not only because it contains the hegemonic component, but also because it is associated with promotion of universal rules and global solutions. This implies a set of relationships that constitute a multilateral institutional system designed to collectively solve common problems. The new anti-neocolonial agenda proposed by Russia as part of its discourse has a significant potential, but it has yet to be elaborated. This requires a new vision of future relations between leading countries and the states that seek to catch up with them, as well as practical solutions to key problems of the Third World, Dmitriy Ofitserov-Belskiy writes. https://eng.globalaffairs.ru/articles/instrumental-factors-of-soft-power/ #SoftPower #diplomacy #values 📖 Subscribe to the magazine 🌐 Russia in Global Affairs

The 21st century has seen a gradual shift from overwhelming sanctions, mainly trade embargoes, towards targeted or “smart” sanctions. The latter target designated natural and legal persons associated with a country’s government, while ostensibly imposing minimal hardship on its general population. However, many empirical studies prove the existence of significant spillover effects and collateral damage from targeted sanctions. The case of anti-Russian sanctions provides several insights into targeted sanctions and their spillover effects, and into the very theory of sanctions, write Ivan Timofeev @sanctionsrisk, Ekaterina Arapova and Yulia Nikitina. https://eng.globalaffairs.ru/articles/the-illusion-of-smart-sanctions/ #sanctions 📖 Subscribe to the magazine 🌐 Russia in Global Affairs

To counteract the U.S. policy of containing China, and to further develop its diplomacy in Central Asia, China prioritizes the development of relations with Russia. Chinese policy in the region is aimed not at harming Russia’s positions, but at achieving a harmonious co-presence with Russia, while preventing unfriendly powers (currently the United States) from gaining a firmer foothold, writes Yana Leksyutina. https://eng.globalaffairs.ru/articles/chinese-policy-in-central-asia/ #China #Russia #CentralAsia 📖 Subscribe to the magazine 🌐 Russia in Global Affairs

The question of how Russia’s foreign policy will be managed during President Vladimir Putin’s new term seems redundant, if not irrelevant. The head of state is a man who has led the country in one form or another for almost a quarter of a century. He is known for his conservatism – not only in the ideological sense, but also in his aversion to sharp turns. Moreover, Russia is engaged in an intensive military campaign against an international coalition, and there is little point in making plans until it is over, and while its prospects are still unclear. The successful completion of this campaign remains a task of incomparable importance. Nevertheless, it is necessary to reflect on this issue. Firstly, all of the terms of Vladimir Putin’s presidency, while showing a continuity of approach, have been markedly different. Secondly, while the importance of achieving the goals of the military operation is undeniable, victory alone will not miraculously provide answers to all foreign policy challenges. Finally, the world system is changing rapidly for objective reasons, and Moscow will have to respond in any case. The question of Russia’s integration into the Western-centred system is no longer on the agenda. Not only because of the deterioration of our relations, but also because the whole system itself is changing irreversibly, writes Fyodor Lukyanov @ru_global, Editor-in-Chief of Russia in Global Affairs magazine. https://eng.globalaffairs.ru/articles/putins-foreign-policy-rt/ #Russia #Putin #WorldOrder 📖 Subscribe to the magazine 🌐 Russia in Global Affairs

In the 1980s-1990s, two socialist countries—the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China—carried out deep and comprehensive reforms. However, the result turned out to be the exact opposite. Ivan Zuenko and Anatoly Savchenko analyze differences in the outcome of similar reforms undertaken by the USSR and China and come to the conclusion that one of the key factors behind the difference in results is the policy of relations between the center and the regions. https://eng.globalaffairs.ru/articles/rocky-path/ #China #SovietUnion #history 📖 Subscribe to the magazine 🌐 Russia in Global Affairs

Russia and China have a truly unique role in the international arena, which makes their relations a huge and very complex topic. Neither country accepts subordination to anyone or to each other. China is unable to be a junior partner, and the same goes for Russia. 

The advantage of Russia and China is that our two nations are indispensable and necessary links in international relations, as the history of the previous 200 years has proved.

Our Editor-in-Chief Fyodor Lukyanov @ru_global describes the future of Russia–China engagement in the emerging world order in his interview with RIAC @russiancouncil. https://eng.globalaffairs.ru/articles/being-in-order-riac/ #Russia #China #multipolarity #WorldOrder 📖 Subscribe to the magazine 🌐 Russia in Global Affairs

In the United States, both houses of Congress approved the bill H.R. 8038, titled “21st Century Peace through Strength Act”. In Russia, the bill received resonance in connection with the legal mechanism for the confiscation of Russia’s sovereign assets. Previously, there were no such mechanisms in the arsenal of US sanctions policy towards Russia. What will the new law look like? What was the relationship between the Biden Administration and Congress regarding the bill and sanctions against Russia in general? What were the prerequisites for its adoption and what response measures is Moscow taking? Writes Ivan Timofeev. https://eng.globalaffairs.ru/articles/mechanism-for-the-confiscation/ #sanctions #RussianAssets 📖 Subscribe to the magazine 🌐 Russia in Global Affairs