The idea of creating a common currency for the BRICS nations has been brought up numerous times throughout the past year. With the establishment of new alternative financial institutes that are supposed to counterbalance the existing IMF and World Bank, this initiative may not seem as far-fetched and unrealistic as before. However is this really the…

Picture by Andrey Kortunov, Director General, Russian International Affairs Council.   The new architecture of the European Union after Grexit and Brexit: highly asymmetrical, seemingly fragile, definitely postmodern and still irresistibly intriguing   Image credit: turizmaz.com   Want to be published? Send…

So-called “business mobility” is defined as the flow of businessmen and women who are actively engaged in trade and investment activities across borders. It is considered to be crucial in the ever-globalising world as the absolute majority of business executives consider face-to-face communication and in-person meetings across borders to…

Picture by Andrey Kortunov, Director General, Russian International Affairs Council.   Left to right: China, Russia, Europe   Image credit: www.supercalifragili.com   Want to be published? Send your submissions to: stuff@russiancouncil.ru

Picture by Andrey Kortunov, Director General, Russian International Affairs Council.   The essence of great power politics: "Shut up, if you want to talk to me!!!"   Image credit: nickholmesonline.com   Want to be published? Send your submissions to: stuff@russiancouncil.ru

Although Russia signed an enormous energy agreement with China last year, evidencing growing ties between Russia and the east, there remains in Russia’s policies an underlying pull towards Europe. After canceling the South Stream pipeline project, in response to strong EU and U.S. objections, which would have supplied southern-eastern Europe…

With the 7th annual BRICS summit more than a week behind us and yet another declaration signed by the heads of state, it would be only fitting to take a look back at the results of the summit and make predictions on its possible impact on the ever-changing geopolitical landscape.
 
Probably the most important conclusion to be made after the…

A long-awaited event – the 7th annual BRICS Summit held in Ufa – made profound experts elaborate the question of further prospects for the group’s development. Should it be a partnership without any supra-secretariat or an organization with formalized mechanisms of cooperation was and is still strongly argued. As the Russian delegate…

Picture by Andrey Kortunov, Director General, Russian International Affairs Council.   A missed date: Europe is waiting for Putin to reconsider   Image credit: distractionsoflola.tumblr.com   Want to be published? Send your submissions to: stuff@russiancouncil.ru

Many of the theories emphasizes that the main source of conflict in the future will be a cultural source. Cultures is the dominant framework in international relations. In order to confirming this approach we can return to the former French president's statement: Jacques Chirac at UNESCO Conference in 2001. He said: "nineteenth century witnessed…

via Leksika
 
Nearing the End
The Greek Crisis has pushed Europe to the brink. The deal agreed to on Monday relieved markets and points to a route for Athens to remain in the Eurozone. However, the deal provides no long-term solution to the crisis—it instead marks a long-term change in how Europe views and organizes itself. In the next…

History was made last week when the first ever BRICS Youth Summit took place in Kazan, the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. The event became the gathering place of over 200 young representatives from all five BRICS nations united by the common dream of creating a multipolar world. Throughout the course of 3 days the BRICS delegations worked on the…