Interview for Going Underground / RT
Interview for Going Underground / RT
We speak to Director-General of the Russian International Affairs Council Andrey Kortunov. He discusses why Vladimir Putin is unlikely to invade Ukraine and how Putin would have conducted the invasion if he were to go through with it, whether the current crisis shows a failure in Russian diplomacy, alleged plans for a Russian puppet government to be installed in Kiev, contentions over the Minsk agreements between Kiev and...
In 2008, four paths were available to Russia but in 2022, one prevails
A Retrospective Introduction
In 2008–2012 we published results of a long-term research project on the alternative scenarios of Russia’s future in several publications including ‘
On Russia: Perspectives from the Engelsberg Seminar 2008
’ from the Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation. The project purported to make two major steps: first, to generate scenarios themselves and second, to test the public perceptions of these...
What Should Russia’s Updated Foreign Policy Concept Focus on?
Once again, NATO’s possible advancement into the post-Soviet space has come to the fore in Russian expert discourse. The prospect of NATO expanding eastwards is often portrayed as an eschatological catastrophe, much alike the Mongol invasion of Russia in the middle of the 13th century. If this is indeed the case, this expansion must be precluded at all costs. Otherwise, Russia risks both a major geopolitical defeat and a loss of independence...
It would be better for all if Russia’s national security eventually became an integral part of Europe’s comprehensive security in the 21st century
To produce an adequate analysis of a particular complex international issue—and even more so to try to resolve it if necessary—it is imperative to have complete objective information on this topic. This information should include both the background of the problem and possible scenarios for its future development. It is the foundation of the foreign...
Twelve objectives for Russia’s foreign policy in the coming year
Recently, pre-New Year forecasts about international affairs and foreign policy have emerged as a popular trend not only across Western nations but also in Russia. In most cases, they include various horror stories about possible challenges and threats looming large for the world and certain countries in the coming year.
Forecasts exploring the potential opportunities that the new year may open up—whether for the international community...
Russian policy is essentially an attempt to balance a number of diverging principles, goals, priorities and modes of engagement in the Eastern Mediterranean
Strictly speaking, Russia is not an Eastern Mediterranean country. It does not have direct access to the Mediterranean Sea; its most important strategic and economic interests belong to other parts of the world, such as the North Atlantic or East Asia. However, for a long time Russia has been trying to make its presence in the region visible;...
No matter how the modern world order “crumbles”, the dimensions of the modern world cannot be reduced to mere security issues
The Russian community of international relations professionals and pundits is strongly influenced by political realism. Being a realist is a good rule of thumb when it comes to mainstream approaches to international affairs. “Enemy” liberalism, “freaky” constructivism, “obsolete” Marxism—these are all marginal alternatives. It is more difficult to make a career with them...
On June 22, 2021, the Lithuanian Embassy in Russia held an online discussion on Russia’s foreign policy: a year after amendments to the Constitution
On June 22, 2021, the Lithuanian Embassy in Russia held an online discussion on Russia’s foreign policy: a year after amendments to the Constitution.
The speakers included: Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Director General; Arkady Moshes, Program Director for the EU Eastern Neighborhood and Russia research program, Finnish Institute of International Affairs;...
We are neighbours. Russia is part of Greater Europe. The European Union is a major player in the European space, but it is not the whole of Europe, no matter how some of the EU leaders juggle this word
Mr Minister, dear Augusto,
Mr Ivanov,
Colleagues, friends,
Thank you for inviting me to this conference on the situation between Russia and the European Union. I would like to express gratitude to the Russian International Affairs Council, which has done a great deal to organise this event together...
The OSCE does not have a magic wand to fix numerous problems between Russia and the West, but it can offer a platform to discuss these problems in a rational and mutually respectful way
Today we live through a new cycle of intense confrontation between Russia and the West. This confrontation is exemplified by Russia increasingly voicing its disappointment in and frustration with many multilateral international institutions—from the United Nations to the Council of Europe and to the Organization...
