... development of Franco-Russian relations. And I will then readily take your questions.
First, however, I would like to speak about an issue that is of great concern to everybody in Europe, and even beyond its borders. I am referring of course to the events in Ukraine. Let me make it clear from the start that in my brief speech I am not going to touch upon the internal causes of the crisis, the balance of political forces, the errors and miscalculations of the former Ukrainian leadership and the possible trajectory ...
Ukraine is sick now. And it is not a minor cold, but a dangerous fever
Ukraine is sick now. And it is not a minor cold, but a dangerous fever. Problems rooted in the complicated history of the Ukrainian people have deepened recently due to irresponsible ...
On February 28, 2014 in Paris, RIAC President Igor Ivanov read a public lecture on current problems in international relations and Russian foreign policy before a large group of French experts, diplomats, journalists and civil society leaders.
Organized by French-Russian
think tank l'Observatoire
, a RIAC partner, and French foundation
Concorde
, the event was also attended by representatives of foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations accredited in Paris.
Text of the speech...
... forces will draw in the United States, one way or another. While there is still time, it's extremely important to understand what each party involved is aiming for.
Over the last 10 days, Moscow has been unpleasantly surprised several times. First, when Ukraine's then president, Viktor Yanukovych, halted an operation which would have cleared his opponents from the positions they occupied in central Kiev. Given the clear order, the Berkut riot police were closing in on the Maidan – the protest movement,...
The mounting conflict over the status of the autonomous republic of Crimea deserves an urgent, careful response. Of all the potential conflicts in postrevolutionary Ukraine, none is more important than a serious crisis in Crimea, which could lead to a hot war in Ukraine and dramatically increase tensions between Russia and the West.
Events are moving quickly.
Earlier today, demonstrators waving Russian flags broke ...
... developments in Kiev was primarily the fault of the Ukrainian political class, which has never adequately governed the state since independence. Another factor was the sporting excitement of its neighbours – Russia and the EU – which often viewed Ukraine as a tasty trophy and confirmation of their own geopolitical influence.
It was not accidental that the planned signing of an association agreement with the EU served as a catalyst for an acute political crisis in Kiev. Ukraine’s heterogeneity,...
... RIAC members, and RIAC Director General
Andrey Kortunov
participated in an unofficial meeting with heads of diplomatic missions of the EU states and leaders of Moscow-based headquarters of international organizations to discuss the developments in Ukraine.
Moderated by
Vygaudas Usackas
, the EU Ambassador to Russia, the event was also attended by chiefs of Moscow missions of the IBRD, EBRD and Association of European Businesses in Moscow, as well as by experts and the media.
The debate focused ...
... Transatlantic one is a community of values. That despite all strains, spooks, our inability to live up to our very expectations, our heed of European values unite us. It is a strong acknowledgement of the sacrifice the people of the Maidan made for these. Ukraine now has an opportunity to join a Europe, and an America, that stand united.
As Britain was first to declare its readiness ‘with a chequebook’ to help ‘rebuild’ Ukraine and, most urgently, avoid a default, it became clear ...
... alleged stability in relation to other models of the world are very popular in Russia. However, the realists are rather indifferent to the internal structure of a state. Instead, they tend to see the state as a unit. In my opinion, the last events in Ukraine are the powerful evidence for the fallacy of this approach.
Why is the bipolar world the most stable one? We should add first: "than multi- and unipolar systems". Indeed, the multipolarity implicates a bigger uncertainty about intentions ...
Ukraine has crossed the line. The tension in the country, which has been increasing since the fall, has resulted in a kind of failed coup, such as the one that happened in Russia in 1993. Until recently, this seemed impossible in Ukraine, with its different ...
