... percent compared to 2017). Contrastingly, Ukraine is second (7.6 percent), while China is third (5.1 percent).
The cumulative trade turnover of Belarus with all the EAEU countries was $36.5 billion at year-end 2018, while its trade turnover with the European Union was $17.3 billion (24.2 percent of the state’s total trade turnover). At the same time, Belarus sells mostly raw materials and semi-finished products to the European Union, while it mostly sells high added-value goods to Russia and EAEU ...
... forum gathered government officials, former and current diplomats, journalists, parliamentarians and public figures of European countries, representatives of international organizations and the private sector. The participants discussed the role of the European Union in the system of international relations, the dynamics of transatlantic interaction, the future of the multipolar world, the impact of new technologies on world politics, regional crises in the Middle East and Africa, etc. Andrey Kortunov,...
On June 6–8, 2019, Bratislava is hosting 14th edition of GLOBSEC 2019, an annual international forum on security issues.
On June 6–8, 2019, Bratislava is hosting 14th edition of
GLOBSEC 2019
, an annual international forum on security issues.
The forum gathered experts, politicians, businessmen, and public figures from more than sixty countries. The discussions focus on the challenges of overcoming the current regional and global instability, increasing the manageability of the international system...
Right now, such scenarios look very unlikely
There is no doubt that the EU can put together a modern and powerful army. Europe has more than enough human, financial, industrial, and technological resources to do that. However, if the EU has not yet done this despite continuous discussions, political statements, and even approved programs, it means the incentives to proceed are not strong enough. First, nobody is eager to have a military machine in Europe duplicating NATO or even some of its functions...
What might be a “second option” for Russia in Syria?
The situation around Russia in Syria is up for debate. No doubt, Russia would like to lead a reconstruction effort in Syria, in harmony with all relevant partners, including the UN, the EU, the USA, China, India, Turkey, Iran, Israel, the Sunni Arab states including the Golf Council Countries (GCC-states), Egypt and Morocco. However, many of the parties on the list of wished-for partners are strongly hostile to each other, and it might therefore...
... issue without exception — from counteracting Nord Stream 2 to withdrawing from the multilateral nuclear deal with Iran. The European Union was criticized for its indecisiveness regarding Venezuela: not all of the United States’ European allies have ... ... Federation Sergey Ryabkov looked more convincing, in my opinion, than his counterpart, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs Andrea Thompson.
Russia’s standout achievement in Munich was the holding of the Primakov Readings ...
... regime;
developing and maintaining great-power status;
exerting influence within the near abroad in order to pull these countries into its sphere of influence;
increasing cooperation and trade with Western Europe;
undermining enlargement of the European Union and NATO into the post-Soviet space.
It is assumed that Moscow will use “measures short of war” as a tactic. This term was introduced by George Kennan in the late 1940s to denote the hostile actions of the USSR and spanning a broad ...
The conclusion is clear: to preserve the liberal world order by all means, to rationalize United States policy, and to isolate Russia and China or make them return to their usual roles. But a return of the old order of post-bipolar times is unlikely
Andrey Kortunov:
Why the World is Not Becoming Multipolar
The organizers of the Munich Security Conference have released their
annual report
. As usual, it is a good and well-founded text. The analysis of key international trends is combined with...
... Europe, its economies will flounder. Cui bono? Russia that can reap benefits from the two-way BRI or Arctic trade routes or moribund United States that can no longer rule roost in an increasingly multipolar world?
Trump’s
diplomatic downgrade
of the European Union and his opposition to the
Nord Stream 2
gas pipeline matches this trade-disruption hypothesis, as do pressures applied on India and China to drop energy and trade ties with Iran. Washington’s trade war with Beijing and recent charges ...
... crucial source of legitimacy for any potential Ukrainian leader.
At the same time, this scenario entails the continuation and even an intensification of the confrontation between Russia and the West. The economic sanctions of the United States and the European Union will be retained and expanded. An arms race will start in Europe without any effective measures for building up confidence, and certainly without new treaties on arms control. Russia–NATO interaction will be limited to formal contacts ...