... late September 2017, NATO’s representatives attended the Zapad exercises,
said Anatoly Sidorov
, the chief of the Joint Staff of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
Six threats and ‘domino effect’
The key problem in the Russia-West relations is a grave credibility crisis. The Skripal case that led to the accusation of the Kremlin of poisoning former Russian spy and his daughter, the diplomatic crisis that resulted from the expulsion of Russian officials from the U.S. and Europe, the Moscow-Washington differences over Syria, growing anti-Russian sentiments ...
The key for Russia today is to build its strength and resources
As relations between Russia and the West deteriorate against the backdrop of the expulsion of Russian diplomats, more and more questions arise: Have crises like thus happened before? How can Russia avoid becoming the “greatest threat” in a universal sense? And how can we emerge from ...
... sanctions but Brussels carefully avoided any escalation of sanctions for “promoting propaganda and undermining democracy,” an accusation that is hard to verify but easy to turn into a conflict-prone and provocative form. We might dislike Robert Mueller’s ... ... Skripal case, Washington’s new sanctions and the chemical incident in Syria. The Skripal case stands out because the collective West went for a sharp escalation without having authentic and transparent facts indicating Russia’s involvement in the incident....
... lead to “the last war in the history of mankind.” What did you mean by that?
Evgeny Buzhinsky: I’m sorry, but the BBC correspondent understood me incorrectly. It is not between Russia and the UK: it is between Russia and the so-called collective West, led by the United States by the way. This incident was a crime. In investigating this sort of crime, any investigator must ask some questions: who stands to benefit? What’s the motive? For President Putin, believe me, he is the last man on Earth ...
... the United Nations were expelled as well. Russia was not slow to reciprocate, expelling more than a hundred diplomats representing the United Kingdom, the United States, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, France, the Netherlands and many other predominantly Western countries.
Many questions remain about whether the British side has produced enough proof that the Russians have been officially or unofficially responsible for this outrageous act. Supporters of the coordinated Western demarche claim that finally,...
... country, as well as self-fulfillment through service to society and nation.
I dream of the possibility that even 2% of the accusations concerning Russian “interference” in the 2016 US election prove true. It would bolster my self-esteem as a Russian,... ... countries’ internal affairs – about the dangers of throwing stones from a glass house.
But the problem between Russia and the West is really a problem among Westerners themselves. The US establishment is using the scarecrow of Russian interference to regain ...
... settlement. Nevertheless, the Topkapi Palace would rejoice enthusiastically at another shaming of the Ottoman dynasty’s nefarious adversary.
No foreign envoys get locked up anymore in our more humane times. However, the recent massive campaign in the West to expel Russian diplomats is fairly in line with the controversial tradition of the Sublime Porte. Dozens of diplomatic officers overseas have found themselves hostage to a problem they have nothing to do with. Furthermore, the very presence of ...
... and oppose chaos and instability. Its willingness to reach compromises with partners, however, will not imply a readiness to make unilateral concessions or to deviate from a consistent pursuit and defence of its national interests.
Relations with the West will remain one of the most important dimensions of Russian foreign policy. Here, one can foresee a cautious relaunch of political dialogue between Russia and the leading West European countries. There is mutual interest in such a dialogue because ...
... a review of external affairs — both in theory and in practice. The upcoming elections are likely to bring a similar rethink. Russia faces a number of forks in the road, which could determine the direction of its foreign policy.
Relations with the West are a priority. The United States and the European Union this year will increase pressure on Russia via sanctions, military deterrence and information warfare. Russia will respond in kind, though the balance of power is significantly skewed in the ...
... its previous assumptions about the EU and its midterm prospects
At the end of 2016, both the political and expert communities in Russia appeared to be very pessimistic about the future of the world order in general, and the about the future of the West in particular. Indeed, the year had turned out to be an
annus horribilis
in many ways; numerous doomsday prophets referred to various harbingers of the looming cataclysms. They mentioned the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union ...