... demonstrated an upsurge in nationalism, together with a gradual rejection of its policy of ‘pacifism’. On 7 February 2014, when Japan celebrated “Northern Territories Day”, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left for Sochi for the opening of the Olympic Games and had a meeting with Vladimir Putin there the day after. The prospects for Russo-Japanese relations and the implications of the internal political situation in Japan are discussed in this interview with RIAC member
Alexander N. Panov
...
On January 7, 2014 State Duma Deputy and RIAC Member Valentina Tereshkova and the winner of the 2nd Foreign Affairs Journalists Contest Anastasia Popova participated in the Sochi Winter Olympics opening ceremony and brought the Olympic flag to the Fisht Stadium together with Chulpan Khamatova, Vyacheslav Fetisov, Nikita Mikhalkov, Valery Gergiev, Lydia Skoblikova and Alan Yenileyev.
On February 4, 2014 Anastasia Popova won the
2nd Russian Contest of Foreign Affairs Journalists
in nomination Best...
... - but never were forced to confront the types of issues that Russia was forced to consider.
The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics represents an inflection point for Russia, a test of how the nation handles many challenges both domestically and abroad. The Olympic Games will test the ability of the leaders of the country and its citizens to provide adequate answers to these challenges.
Of course, the primary challenge is related to the prestige, image and global reputation of Russia. There is hardly a country ...
RIAC members are widely represented in the Olympic torch relay for the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi among a host of athletes, distinguished political, public and scientific community figures.
In Moscow, the group included Moscow State University Rector Viktor Sadovnichy, MGIMO-University Rector Anatoly Torkunov and RANEPA Rector Vladimir Mau. Valentina Tereshkova, the first female cosmonaut, lit the symbolic Olympic bowl in the city of Yaroslavl. Rector of the Northern Arctic Federal University Helena...
... to also lose with dignity help create favorable image of a country.
Political leaders too are sports fans
Political leaders playing the part of a sports fan successfully implement summit diplomacy. The meetings of V. Putin with G. W. Bush during the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 obviously helped to prevent even more dramatic scenario of Russian leadership’s reaction to Georgia’s hostility. In 2008 and 2009 presidents of Armenia and Turkey met at soccer matches both in Yerevan and Ankara. In ...