... system should not be politicized this way. More importantly, I believe that the war could be brought to a peaceful conclusion rapidly if the US and Russia negotiated in straightforward diplomacy, and especially if the US accepted the non-enlargement of NATO and all parties implemented the Minsk agreements. In that context, the sanctions should be removed.
Based on the recently published
report
claiming that the world faces a “perfect storm” for a new food crisis. In your understanding, what should be done to address this critical food insecurity challenge?
The food crisis ...
... to Russian gas. Germany and its industry even depends more than 50% on Russian gas. This also puts some break on “financial sanctions”.
Andrey Kortunov:
The end of diplomacy? Seven Glimpses of the New Normal
If Russia cannot get paid for gas, and ... ... will survive or experience a crash and depletion of confidence worse than 2009. Western voices say that “Russia has brought NATO together”. Well—after the current Western songs and hymns are replaced with realism or despair (or a new US President ...
... starting to make themselves felt. Historically, it has been unprotected social groups and the middle class who have suffered from sanctions—rather than the “oligarchs” or the “authorities.”
Andrey Kortunov:
The end of diplomacy? Seven Glimpses of ... ... predicted three months ago can now be supplemented with another two.
Afterthought 1.
Moving towards a significant increase in NATO’s military presence in Eastern Europe. With a number of Western states blocking the airspace, the Kaliningrad Region can ...
... programs of import substitution, accumulating foreign exchange reserves, expanding trade with China and deepening political and military-technical cooperation with its partners across the CSTO. The West has established various formats and mechanisms of sanctions pressure, boosting NATO’s eastern flank and increasing policy coordination both within the Alliance and within the European Union as well as military-technical assistance to Ukraine, while consistently attacking Russia in a variety of international settings ranging from ...
... this scenario, we should expect a radical breakdown in relations between Russia and the West, incomparable with any previous crisis. It will lead to (a) massive loss of life; (b) a serious and long-term economic crisis in Russia as a result of Western sanctions; (c) significant militarisation of Eastern Europe by NATO.
It will be possible to talk about the formation of a fundamentally new order in Europe. It will be rooted in an arduous confrontation. The only obstacle to a major war will be nuclear weapons, although the risks of escalation into a conflict between ...
... that no one will think about crossing the ‘red line’ with regard to Russia. We ourselves will determine in each specific case where it will be drawn.”NATO expansion provoking war with Russia. Image is adapted from Patrickneil's "History of NATO expansion" based on glentamara via Wikimedia Commons. Original here
Sanctions Everywhere
As Putin emphasized in his speech, the use of sanctions as a means of conducting regime change and imposing the "rules-based order" has become the de jure policy of the Trans-Atlantic alliance. In the last years, the U.S....
... have the combined leverage to influence a pathway to peace and stability. Doing so will also be good for American businesses, hundreds of which have lost revenue and investments as an unintended consequence of sanctions. More importantly, abolishing sanctions will put America's foreign policy back on track, back to exercising consistency, promoting human life, and being a much-need force for good in the world.
Halt NATO’s Eastward Expansion
Igor Ivanov:
The World after START
Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States has had ample opportunity to foster a partnership with Russia that would be beneficial for both countries. Unfortunately, past administrations ...
... consequence, the whole area is getting locked in a highly conflictual conjuncture aggravated by already existing regional security challenges, such as the demise of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and the ongoing military buildup on the NATO’s Eastern flank.
Thirdly, the recurrent difficulties in involving Europeans into sustainable and smooth economic partnership in the gas sector, as well as the American sanctions which could eventually apply to any additional lines to the Russia-sponsored pipelines in Europe, incentivize Russia to reconsider the geometry of its energy export routes. The deliveries of Siberian gas to China in the amount exceeding 1 trillion ...
... Chair. A similar joint resolution was proposed by Democratic Senator Robert Menendez. Turkey’s unprovoked invasion is described in a resolution proposed by Republican Senator Mitch McConnell. At the same time, Congressmen offered several proposals for sanctions against Turkey. In particular, Senator Lindsey Graham proposed Bill S. 2644, which would impose severe restrictions on the Turkish military-industrial complex, personal sanctions against members of the Turkish government, the punishment of Turkey for the S-400 deal using the provisions ...
... expeditiously react to even minor changes in the behavior of the side against which sanctions are applied. The five-year war of sanctions between the West and Russia demonstrates the need to create a more nuanced, more calibrated set of economic incentives ... ... regime, along with the collapse of conventional arms control in the European continent. It would be great to see a reinvigorated NATO-Russia Council, but unfortunately one cannot take for granted any significant progress being made within the NRC. Therefore,...
