The West is trying to lay the groundwork for gaining leverage over the current authorities in Damascus
It has been six months since the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham [
1
] group led by Abu Mohammad al-Julani (now known as Ahmed al-Sharaa) seized power in Syria. Shortly before that, half a world away, Donald Trump had won the U.S. presidential election, and all eyes turned to see what his foreign policy would look like. Nobody was watching more closely than Syria’s new authorities, who were well aware that...
Report No. 99 / 2025
Report No. 99 / 2025
The following report focuses on the Middle Eastern policies of extra-regional actors and their transformation in changing conditions. It concentrates on studying the strategies pursued by Russia, the U.S., the EU, China and India in the Middle East. The report also examines how Middle Eastern countries perceive extra-regional actors as they aspire to build pragmatic and balanced relationships with external partners.
Extra-Regional Actors in the Middle East...
By contributing to the resurgence of a Cold War mentality, the Quad puts direct pressure on developing states by embroiling them into bloc politics
The growing power of China remains a key concern for the new Trump administration. The
U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy
notes that the evolving challenges in the region necessitate leveraging the core asymmetric strength of the U.S.—its network of partnerships and security alliances—by promoting interoperability and its warfighting capabilities. The quadrilateral...
On May 18–19, 2025, the “Tehran Dialogue Forum — 2025” was held in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI)
On May 18–19, 2025, the “Tehran Dialogue Forum — 2025” was held in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI). The event was organized by the Institute for Political and International Studies (IPIS). The forum focused on current political and economic developments in the Middle East and their global implications. Particular attention was paid to the formation of a regional security architecture...
... ago.
Russian-Chinese Dialogue: The 2024 Model. RIAC Report
But let us imagine for a second that the US could have succeeded in playing the role of a malicious spoiler in the China-Russia relationship. Could such a development contribute in any way to international security or even to the long-term strategic interests of the US itself? Not very likely - no nation can possibly benefit from more tensions and less stability in the international system. The fact is that today, China-Russia relations stand ...
Today we are only witnessing the beginning of large-scale changes in US tariff policy
US trade policy has become increasingly securitized, intertwining economic objectives with national security priorities—from revitalizing domestic industry to combating drug trafficking. This approach is being pursued with a sense of urgency, often overlapping with sanctions measures. However, conflating tariffs with sanctions would be premature; unlike trade policy tools, sanctions remain primarily instruments...
Geopolitical stories by Dr. Katja Banik.
Many people do not realize how lucky we all are to be living in these times of change and upheaval – so, let’s make something of it!
„Schönheit ist überall ein gar willkommener Gast“ [1] (Goethe)
Russia with a reach: Peaceful grazing horses. Russia/Lithuania border near Rusnè.
(Summer 2023).
Multipolarity is a reality
One cycle comes to an end and a new cycle begins. The gravity of the world shifts, the old thinking, the old structures slowly disappear and...
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s written interview with Brazilian newspaper O Globo, April 28, 2025
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s written interview with Brazilian newspaper O Globo, April 28, 2025
Question: Expanding trade among BRICS countries is one of the objectives for Brazil’s chairmanship in this group in 2025. What kind of opportunities does Russia see in terms of increasing the share of trade transactions in national currencies?
Sergey Lavrov: We are witnessing an accelerating trend...
Europe is now returning to its position as the main source of danger for all of humanity. But it does not mean that we in Russia should fence ourselves off from our Western neighbours and not pay them any attention
Europe has always been a source of concern for the rest of the world, from the time when the Greek pirates unleashed their aggression on the ancient civilisation of the Nile Valley to the latest attempts by Europeans to interfere in African affairs or behave aggressively in Ukraine....
The globalization of NATO will only largely occur at the level of high political rhetoric
On Wednesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte concluded a two-day official visit to Japan—his first visit to the country since becoming the chief of the transatlantic military alliance in October. Among NATO's “Indo-Pacific partners,” Japan stands out as the biggest economy, the most generous defense spender and a country with an exceptional track record of close relationships with the transatlantic alliance...
