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| Two Crises on the Way to Reshaping the World |
Fyodor Lukyanov, Editor-in-Chief
Two crises have occurred one after the other in the past few months that have had a significant impact on Russian foreign policy. The Russian-Georgian war in August and the upheavals on global financial markets in September and October are not related. Yet both events, each in its own way, have contributed to the formulation by Russia of its national interests. One can say that the two crises have set a conceptual framework of interests, defining a vector for the indispensable and boundaries for the possible. |
| The Flipside of September 11, 2001 |
Vladimir Ovchinsky
The reality that developed after September 11, 2001 and August 8, 2008 is such that the “catches” of self-defense, self-determination and peacekeeping in ambiguous UN documents can be used to justify war against sovereign states. |
| A New Entente |
Sergei Dubinin
The time has come to discuss methods of international regulation. From an objective point of view, the United States, in crisis conditions, should not be interested in stepping up military-political competition in the world arena, but in productive cooperation, including with Russia. |
| From the Megaphone to the Microphone? |
Sir Roderic Lyne
If we are to deal sensibly with each other, we need predictability; we need an accurate understanding of each other’s interests and intentions; and we need the ability to communicate rationally. These are the elements which need to be restored. |
| From a Post-Soviet to a Russian Foreign Policy |
Alexander Lukin
The post-Soviet foreign policy paradigm rested on the exclusive role of interaction with the West. A foreign policy course that meets Russia’s national interests in earnest could become an alternative to the post-Soviet approach. Its goal might be a return of foreign policy attractiveness to Russia – something that is known as ‘soft power’ today. |
| Paradigm Change in Russian Foreign Policy |
Alexander Aksenyonok
The present global interdependence makes any conflict take quite new, hitherto unknown shapes; so it is simply impossible to predict how events will develop if one simulates them on the basis of the experience of the “first” Cold War. |
| Traveling in Different Boats |
Ivan Safranchuk
Relations between Russia and the United States are acquiring a new quality. Moscow and Washington can cooperate on certain individual issues, but strategically they are now on their own – certainly not in the same boat. |
| Multipolar Hegemony |
Alexander Lomanov
If the hypothetical Sino-American alliance expands beyond the economic framework and takes on a political dimension, this may motivate Europe to expand the geopolitical base by forging a union with Russia. |
| The Caucasian War and Public Interest |
Alexander Buzgalin & Andrei Kolganov
The West will see that the demonization of Russia as a country – as distinct from criticizing its rulers – is very harmful not only for the people of Russia but also for the West, which is witnessing a further growth of the already influential right-wing conservative political forces. |
| The Logic of South Ossetia Conflict |
Ivan Kotlyarov
By winning this victory, Russia tapped the limit of capabilities of its armed forces. We run the risk of sliding into a more or less overt standoff, for which Russia does not have the resources, ideology or geopolitical opportunities right now. |
| The End of Multi-Vector Policies |
Alexei Vlassov
The territory of the former Soviet Union has completely lost its former contours and has turned into a field for an open struggle involving major players. The inter-state relations slide into total chaos and there are no clear rules of conduct. |
| Regional Conflicts Reloaded |
Sergei Markedonov
The territory of the former Soviet Union changed on August 26, 2008 with the creation of a precedent in redrawing the borders of former Soviet republics. The groundwork of the post-Soviet world, functional since 1991, has collapsed. |
| A New Chance for Leadership |
David Erkomaishvili
Some noticeable changes have taken place recently in Russia’s policy of promoting its interests in the territory of the former Soviet Union. But this is only a small part of a bigger policy required to form friendly lobbies in the territory of the former Soviet Union. However, the social aspect of this policy, which is vital for success, is nowhere in sight yet. |
| A Nation-State or a State-Nation? |
Alexei Miller
Nobody knows what may happen if the Ukrainian policy continues developing along the nation-state course. For the more than eight million people who consider themselves to be Russians, the important thing is not the change to Ukrainian identity, but the loss of living comfortably in case they maintain their Russian identity. |
| The Limits of Rational Choice |
Timofei Bordachev
History is really only made by big deals. It is only a “big deal” – energy in exchange for full-scale common institutions – that can make relations between Russia and Europe stable for a long time. |
| The World Crisis – A Time for Creation |
Sergei Karaganov
The matter at hand is not just a deep financial and economic crisis. This is an overall crisis of the entire system of global governance; a crisis of ideas on which global development was based; and a crisis of international institutions. |
