On April 8, 2025, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), together with the Institute of World Politics and Economics (IWPE, Serbia), held a roundtable on “The Balkan Region in the Eurasian Security System.”
On April 8, 2025, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), together with the Institute of World Politics and Economics (IWPE, Serbia), held a roundtable on “The Balkan Region in the Eurasian Security System.” The event took place in a hybrid format and brought together representatives...
The expansion in the Northern direction offered the nation a variety of unique opportunities, but it also created numerous challenges that other Europeans never confronted
Russia is a distinctly Nordic country. Its Arctic coastline stretches for twenty-four thousand kilometers, and almost two thirds of Russia’s territory is covered by permafrost. Among all Arctic states, Russia has by far the most numerous resident communities in the region in total exceeding two million people (approximately a...
... the most radical supporters have managed to destabilize the system. While some tightening of the existing order under wartime conditions was inevitable, the system has avoided sliding into a totalitarian model with excessive and demotivating control. Society, too, has shown resilience to extreme conditions. Initial confusion quickly gave way to adaptation. The high human cost of military actions and economic challenges, including inflation, have not led to any disintegrative processes. Society remains ...
The current challenge Pakistan faces is dangerous and surrounded by concerns and risks
On the day of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief, General Faiz Hameed, was seen sipping coffee at the Serena Hotel in Kabul. A news channel reporter captured this moment on video and asked, “Will you be meeting with the senior leaders of the Taliban?” The then-Director General (DG) of ISI replied: “No, I am not sure,” pointing to then-Pakistan Ambassador to...
... Poroshenko and the 2014 revolutionaries. The inherent vulnerabilities of Ukraine’s political system, present since the country’s independence, may resurface with renewed intensity.
Andrey Kortunov:
A Failed Journey to the West
The state of Ukrainian society adds another layer of complexity. Fatigue from prolonged military action, frustration with losses, and disillusionment with Western partners are taking their toll. Society has yet to grapple with the full impact of post-traumatic stress disorder....
Despite the efforts of Middle Eastern countries to enhance their influence in regional and international affairs, they continue to deal with issues that require external support
Becoming more evident in recent years, the latest events taking place in the Middle East may reinforce an awareness of the changing role of Middle Eastern states in international relations. Episodes such as U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks about the Gaza Strip and the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria have...
... grouped into external and internal factors. The external dimension relates to what is seen as the destabilizing activities of Western NGOs in Serbia and attempts to unsettle the political situation.
Internal factors stem from the lack of dialogue between society and the government, as well as public dissatisfaction with socio-economic conditions, including high levels of corruption.
Serbia’s geopolitical situation is complex, as the country is surrounded by unfriendly states, most of which are NATO ...
... place can be described as a kakistocracy. It is the root cause of the deep-seated dissatisfaction in the Alienation 2.0 phase. Notwithstanding its utmost pertinence to the current condition, this word is hardly mentioned in discussions aimed at solving society’s ills. Instead, democracy and other concepts characterizing liberal international order are advocated at compounding rates. Such a rendition is not incidental at all. The concept of democracy in its essence and exercise of—particularly through ...
Twists and turns of the conflict in eastern DR Congo
In January 2002, the city of Goma, located in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, lay in ruins. The cause was not the Great African War,
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which had been ravaging the country for several years. The war’s first rebellion had, in fact, started here in August 1998, when Banyamulenge-Tutsi fighters, led by a former ally of President Laurent-Désiré Kabila and backed by Rwanda (where Paul Kagame has ruled since the 1994 genocide), seized...
... principles, as clearly seen in the cases of U.S. and EU pressure on Georgia and their support for Moldova.
Under these circumstances, even governments that support European integration are no longer willing to be a revolving door for transnational “civil society.” Standards and rules provide less and less protection to anyone. Tomorrow, your government may face demands for another concession—for example, joining restrictions against Russia—and find itself transformed from an ally into a target for ...
