... prerequisites for mobilizing Syria’s internal resources and expanding Russia’s economic presence in the country.
Factors Aggravating the Socioeconomic Situation in Syria
Aleksandr Aksenenok:
The Coronavirus and Conflicts in the Middle East
The COVID-19 Pandemic
At first glance, Syria does not appear to be a coronavirus hot spot. The country has a population of over
16.4 million
, yet the
Ministry of Health
has reported just 496 cases, 25 deaths and 144 recoveries as of July 17. Humanitarian ...
... technology.
Andrey Kortunov:
US Will Remain a Difficult Partner
China is also gearing up by upholding contacts with its tried and tested partners — namely Russia. Despite a minuscule
slide
in bilateral trade (a 4% decline compared to 2019) amid COVID-19, political cooperation has been developing. In early July, both countries
demonstrated
close coordination in high-level international organizations by vetoing extension of cross-border aid in Syria. During a telephone call to Vladimir Putin ...
... the use of nuclear weapons. Today, however, clashing national interests, insufficient dialogue, eroding arms control structures, advanced missile systems, and new cyberweapons have destabilized the old equilibrium and are increasing nuclear risks. The COVID-19 pandemic has further underscored the fragility of existing international mechanisms for addressing transnational threats and the imperative for new cooperative approaches to effectively anticipate and deal with these threats.
Nations in the Euro-Atlantic ...
... International Studies, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow. The article is published as part of the Valdai Club’s Think Tank project, continuing the collaboration between Valdai and Observer Research Foundation (New Delhi).
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically accelerated many international processes and aggravated antagonisms. First and foremost, the so-called “liberal international order,” which primarily relied on the power and financial and economic superiority of ...
... breeds political and religious radicalism, social cataclysms, destructive international conflicts, and civil wars.
The coronavirus pandemic introduces new dimensions to the issue of inequality: rich patients have higher chances of receiving quality COVID-19 treatment, and the Global North is better prepared for the pandemic than the Global South. The long-term economic and social consequences of this upheaval will also differ for individual social, professional, ethnic, and other groups.
What are ...
Sometimes, it is better to refuse an agreement than to remain tied to an unprofitable one
Following the COVID-19 outbreak, what began as a health crisis soon turned into an economic and social emergency. In view of the growing rivalry between the United States and China, the pandemic poses a threat to the western economic liberal model and risks jeopardizing ...
Next-gen governance models should be people- and region-centric
The lingering COVID-19 scourge continues to devastate the global economy. Initial fears of an impending supply chain shock, arising from shuttered Chinese factories, have instead led to a moth-eaten global economy where rising supply is met with depreciating demand ...
On July 9, 2020, the Russia-EU Forum video conference was held to discuss the geopolitical and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global recession. The conference was held by the Russian International Affairs Council, Aspen Institute (Italy), in cooperation with European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), and with the support of the Italian Ministry of ...
... biggest challenge since its foundation.” Russian President Vladimir Putin eschews such admissions, but he hasn’t had to fight such a complex battle on two fronts since coming to power over twenty years ago.
Andrey Kortunov:
Global Victory Over COVID-19: What Price Are We Willing to Pay?
The end of the current public health and economic crisis is nowhere in sight, but it’s already clear that both Moscow and Brussels will come out of it weakened, both in absolute terms and relative to other ...
... approach as a result of the given framework established earlier by the other actors.
At the present stage, Moscow is focused on the domestic political agenda, which pushes the policy of Russia in the Middle East into the background. In the context of COVID-19 and the need to address a number of socio-economic and domestic political issues, such as holding a referendum on the constitution from June, 25 to July, 1, Moscow maintains the necessary level of participation in Middle Eastern affairs, but ...
