http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/ Most influental russian analytical journal, devoted to foreign affairs and international economy, trade, culture and security issues /media/images/small_rus.gif http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/ http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Will-Russia-Lose-Georgia-for-Good-15446 Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili finally got what he couldn’t get for several years: an official visit to the White House. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:19:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/The-End-of-the-Post-Soviet-Era-15443 In an article published early this week, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin announced the end of the post-Soviet era and called for something new. Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:07:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/The-Arab-Spring-in-global-context-15438 Much has been written about the Arab Spring of 2011 and rightly so: no other event in world politics had such wide-ranging effects both in the region and far beyond. Fri, 06 Jan 2012 11:21:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Russia-United-States--minimizing-the-damage-15436 Russia and USA have exhausted the positive agenda and the election-related political fervor in both countries will only emphasize areas of dissonance. Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:41:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/From-the-End-of-the-Cold-War-into-a-New-Era-of-Relations-15434 Given the crisis in the U.S. and the European Union, the continued health of Asia and emerging markets, and Russia’s effort to look East, it is not unimaginable that twenty years hence the world will see the rise of Russia and the beginning of an Asia-Pacific century, potentially impacting Russia, ASEAN and their mutual relations. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:15:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/A-Europe-Without-the-European-Union-15433 The EU’s biggest problem today is the loss of the European idea and the vagueness of European self-identity. Despite the ongoing process of enlargement, EU leaders have been unable to persuasively answer the question of what it means to be a European today. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:10:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Hotel-Europe-Guests-and-Permanent-Partners-15432 We should not wait till the next crisis makes all the states it will affect in North America, the European Union and the rest of Europe realize that everybody is interested in close and friendly cooperation from Vancouver to Vladivostok. The way along this track has long been determined and responsible politicians should embark upon it. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:58:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/A-Challenge-from-the-Past-15431 The intensity of “historical wars in Europe” has decreased since 2009, but the process could still be reversed. It is still very likely that history will be used as a tool for political disputes. Reverting to extremely aggressive, conflict-prone and destructive methods of historical policy is still a realistic threat. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:48:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Democracy-After-the-Collapse-15430 By increasingly becoming a mere servant of the economic-cum-political ruling group, democracy is losing its original appeal and its broader, previously unquestionable, social support. As a consequence, the contemporary market system works by de-politicizing the economy, thus making it less socially accountable and responsive. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:42:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/A-Lesson-Half-Learned-15429 The bankruptcy of transitology does not rule out the fact that modern liberal democracy is a product of European civilization and, consequently, that it is based on the historical and intellectual experience of the Enlightenment and subsequent eras. This concrete and essential component of the notion of democracy remains the last line in democracy’s defense against relativism – it allows us to distinguish genuine democracy from all kinds of fakes. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:36:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/The-United-Nations-and-the-United-States--15428 What the UN cannot do is to manufacture and fabricate international consensus where none exists. It cannot be the center for harmonizing national interests – and mediating or reconciling them into the international interest – when the divisions are too deep to be papered over by diplomacy, when the disputes are too intractable to be resolved around the negotiating table. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:18:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/The-Cold-War-and-the-Post-Cold-War-World-15427 Rather than a future in which Chinese hegemony will replace that of the United States, we seem to be rapidly entering a world in which no country will exercise anything resembling true world leadership. This bears a sinister resemblance to the 1920s, when the United States replaced Britain as the world’s leading economic power, but was wholly unwilling to shoulder additional burdens of global leadership. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:14:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Diversity-Wins-15426 The West and the rising rest are poised to compete over principles, status, and geopolitical interests as the shift in global power quickens. The challenge for the West and the rest alike is to forge a new and pluralistic order – one that preserves stability and a rules-based international system amid the multiple versions of modernity that will populate the next world. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 12:04:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/The-Remaking-of-the-Industrial-World-15425 Illusory hopes that new technological possibilities will help create unlimited wealth have never come true. No invention can ensure a life of ease for decades. Of course, the world has changed – but, as the developments of recent years have shown, not to an extent that the established economic patterns should be discarded as worthless. The 21st-century world is a renewed yet still industrial world. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:54:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/From-the-Cold-War-to-Hot-Finances-15424 Bush remembers the tragedy of Charles V of Habsburg and Philip II of Spain who strove to keep one world under one sensible hegemony and, despite defeating major adversaries, failed over the stubborn resistance of rebels and heretics then in Holland and yesterday in Iraq – debt and imperial overstretching as predicted by Paul Kennedy. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:49:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Coercion-to-Partnership-and-the-Flaws-of-an-Unbalanced-World-15423 In the post-nuclear age, or rather beginning with NATO’s attack on Yugoslavia, military campaigns have actually turned into international political campaigns. The new strategic logic aims not to destroy an enemy state but to overpower it with a view to subordinating it to the victor’s interests politically and economically. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:42:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Russias-Nuclear-Quest-Comes-Full-Circle-15422 Russia should rethink what it has inherited from the Soviet Union in nuclear matters, the role of nuclear weapons, and their relevance in the future. Furthermore, Russia should consider how it can best use to its own advantage the opportunities offered by the nuclear non-proliferation regime, and how this regime can be modified to meet the realities of the new century. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 11:37:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Hard-Power-and-the-Re-Industrialization-of-Russia-15421 Since the time of Kievan Rus, Russia has been a key element of the world order through a multitude of circumstances. Therefore, in strengthening Russia we will strengthen the entire world order and render it more durable. In the overall scheme of things, this step will meet the real strategic interests of all responsible members of the international community, including the EU, the U.S., China and India. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:59:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/What-Diplomacy-Does-Russia-Need-in-the-21st-Century-15420 Russia has at least one tactical advantage over the other leading players. We are at the beginning of a new political cycle, and therefore have the advantage of medium-term planning – at least for six years ahead. So why shouldn’t Russia try to spearhead the looming intellectual breakthrough? Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:53:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/The-Dialectics-of-Rise-and-Decline-15419 In a world of new transnational challenges created by non-state actors the United States and Russia have much to gain from working together to cope with these new challenges. In short, the U.S. has more to gain from partnership with a strong reformed Russia rather than a weak declining Russia. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:40:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Twenty-Years-in-Absence-of-the-Soviet-Union-15418 It is not our practice to publish special issues devoted to one topic. This time, however, we have made an exception. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:38:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/pubcol/A-revolutionary-chaos-of-the-new-world-15415 The world is getting more troublesome and increasingly challenging right before our eyes. Wed, 28 Dec 2011 22:57:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Where-are-all-the-moral-leaders-15412 Currently the European scene is dominated by bureaucrats. But one thing is clear – any future leader will inevitably run into conflict that is tougher in some ways than in the final days of the communist era. Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:04:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Russia-and-EU-vie-for-title-of-most-unpredictable-15410 The context of Russia-EU relations is changing. Before Russia was seen as the unpredictable party but now the Europeans are catching up in this respect. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:23:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Destructive-Soviet-nostalgia-15389 The collapse of the Soviet Union will remain in the center of public debate until it is replaced by a more meaningful subject. Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:57:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/The-never-ending-missile-defense-debate-15384 Missile defense isn’t going anywhere. It is a fundamental issue of global strategic stability, which to this day is rooted in the logic of mutual assured destruction. Sun, 04 Dec 2011 19:56:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/The-Russian-Georgian-war-as-a-turning-point-15381 President Dmitry Medvedev made a remarkable statement during a speech to military officers in southern Russia early this week. Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:42:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Russia-and-Europe-Friends-and-interests-15379 The interests of Russia and the European countries are so closely intertwined that they will not part ways even if their leaders fail to hit it off on the personal level. Thu, 17 Nov 2011 21:07:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Nord-Stream-and-the-future-of-Russian-energy-policy-15377 Discussions about the global political shift of Russia from the West to the East are gradually acquiring a more practical dimension in the energy sphere. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:58:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Russias-WTO-entry-as-the-end-of-the-post-Soviet-era-15375 Russia may join the World Trade Organization this year, bringing to a close an 18 year accession process. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 12:53:00 +0300 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Post-Gaddafi-Libya---more-questions-than-answers-15371 NATO is winding down its Libyan campaign, declaring it the latest triumph of good over evil. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:41:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/pubcol/Hotel-Europe-Guests-and-Permanent-Partners-15367 The new European security architecture from Vancouver to Vladivostok would be the cornerstone in maintaining peace in the whole world. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 14:44:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Endgame-in-Ukraine-15351 The dramatic endgame has begun in Ukraine. As the Russian and Ukrainian presidents were meeting in Donetsk, the EU withdrew its invitation to Viktor Yanukovych to visit Brussels. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:55:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Kiev-plays-without-rules-and-risks-it-all-15348 The guilty verdict in the trial of Yulia Tymoshenko marks the beginning of a new phase in Ukraine’s relations with its most important partners: Russia, the European Union, and the United States. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:21:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/The-secure-Eastern-Partnership-15345 The summit of the Eastern Partnership that took place last week in Warsaw, Poland, turned into a bombastic event, complete with the ceremonial exchange of solemn words. Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:04:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Vladimir-Putin-30-15343 Foreign commentators on Russian foreign policy have lost their hobby horse. They will no longer have to rack their brains over who in the Medvedev-Putin tandem exerts greater influence on Russian foreign policy. Thu, 29 Sep 2011 20:48:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Post-Soviet-inferiority-complex-15340 The 20th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s disintegration has reinvigorated public debates over the Soviet legacy. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 21:17:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/A-Russian-Mr-Hyde-15339 An unsuccessful attempt to galvanize Stalin by declaring him an “effective manager” (incidentally, this is a glaring instance of insensitivity to the Russian language, because the phrase “effective manager” sounds sarcastic today) failed not only because the government stopped it. The campaign bumped into society’s stubborn, albeit silent, resistance. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 21:03:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Double-Dividend-to-Replace-Global-Altruism-15338 The human race has entered an era of climate crisis. Right before our eyes the habitat is exposed to a variety of disastrous effects. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:51:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Eurasias-Pipeline-Tangle--15337 Russia’s “gas wars” with Ukraine and Belarus and pointed objections to Europe’s “third energy package,” as well as heated competition to develop rival and commercially dubious “southern” energy transit routes, have re-ignited concerns about pipeline politics across Eurasia. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:39:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Where-Fields-of-Attraction-Overlap-15336 For many centuries, rivalry among Turkey, Iran and Russia determined the geopolitics of the South Caucasus. In the 19th and 20th centuries other actors asserted their presence, too. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:33:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/History-as-a-Weapon-15335 The geopolitical landscape of the Caucasus has recently been brushed over with new bright strokes. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:27:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Russia-in-Transcaucasia-Whats-Gone-Wrong-15334 There has been much talk over the past few years that Russia is losing the Caucasus by making one political mistake after another. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:37:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/A-Challenged-Neighborhood-15333 A mounting dispute has arisen in the past two years between Russia and Japan over a peace treaty that the two countries never signed after World War II. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:32:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Synthesizing-Traditional-Chinese-Values-with-Liberal-Democracy-15332 With the rapid and continuous growth of the Chinese economy during the past three decades, China’s presence has increasingly been felt on the global stage. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:20:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/The-Power-of--15331 The place of China as a leading actor in Asian regionalism is increasingly understood today and seems almost inevitable for the future. The only controversy about China’s role in regional leadership is not whether it can lead but whether it will dominate others and displace America’s hegemony. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 19:14:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Russia-and-Asia-or-Russia-within-Asia-15330 The world crisis has spurred the already high rate of processes taking place in the Asia-Pacific region, forcing its transformation into a major center of world politics. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 18:23:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Shia-Islam-and-Great-Powerness-15329 The developments in the Arab world in the winter and spring of 2011 caused analysts to take a new look at the situation in Iran. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 18:05:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Approaching-a-Post-Oil-Era-15328 The participatory pressures generated by the Arab Spring are reshaping the political landscape in the Middle East and North Africa. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 17:20:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Moving-From-the-Bottom-Up-and-Back-Down-Again-15327 Many analysts believe the dramatic changes that the global international system is undergoing now are a continuation of a long-term reconfiguration of the world that started back in the 1980s. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 17:10:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/The-Last-Peaceful-Days-15326 The economic and political crisis of 2008-2010 has had an unexpected impact by calling into question the success of the third wave of democratization in Europe. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 16:58:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Time-for-Financial-Repression-15325 The Russian authorities have succeeded in easing the consequences of the economic and financial crisis of 2008-2009 for the population. At the same time, the crisis has exposed structural weaknesses of the Russian economy. The stabilization of economic growth and revenue in the first decade of the 21st cen- tury did not lay the groundwork for long-term development. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 16:34:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/A-Disintegrating-World-15324 The summer of 2011 gave no break to global politics. Sat, 24 Sep 2011 16:31:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/The-EU-needs-a-political-goal-to-survive-15321 The Lisbon Treaty, which marked a new level of integration in the European Union, entered into force less than two years ago. Sun, 18 Sep 2011 22:13:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/The-opportunity-that-wasnt-15318 The 9/11 tragedy was an opportunity for Russia and the United States to significantly improve relations. But was there ever such an opportunity? Fri, 09 Sep 2011 09:33:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Why-is-China-silent-15313 If Beijing decides to disengage from the global economy in deed, not in word as it did after the 2008-2009 crisis, this will result in a fundamental change in the world order. Fri, 02 Sep 2011 10:09:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Russia-proposes-a-new-Korean-paradigm-15311 Any foreign trip by North Korean leader Kim Jong-il arouses a great deal of interest, as he practically never leaves his country. Thu, 25 Aug 2011 22:24:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/The-balance-that-tripped-up-America-15305 The role the West played in the collapse of the Soviet Union remains a subject of debate. Sat, 20 Aug 2011 21:02:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Ukraine-continues-to-chase-two-hares-15296 A monument to the characters of the popular comedy Running After Two Hares, which was made in Ukraine at a film studio in Kiev 50 years ago has been unveiled in the Ukrainian capital. Thu, 11 Aug 2011 20:06:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/pubcol/The-Judgment-Century-15294 We believe that we must build monuments to all victims of the 20th century in Russia. After all, it happened that victims became executioners, and executioners became victims. Sun, 07 Aug 2011 20:07:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Russian-lethargy-three-years-after-the-Russia-Georgia-war-15293 Just three years have passed since the brief Russia-Georgia war, yet it seems like a fact of our distant past. Fri, 05 Aug 2011 09:12:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/event/Russia-in-Global-Affairs-is-now-available-at-Facebook-15273 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 09:01:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Oslo-tragedy-as-an-ill-omen-15271 The tragic events in Europe can be compared to those in the United States. There is a growing gap between the elite and the electorate whose sense of stability has been profoundly shaken. Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:12:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/The-reckless-West-15267 Western domination in global politics and the global economy has prompted many questions, but there is still no organized opposition to it. Sat, 23 Jul 2011 13:33:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Armenia-and-Azerbaijans-shaky-status-quo-15262 Russia has made a concerted effort since the fall of 2010 to break the stalemate in Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations over the disputed Nagorny Karabakh region. Thu, 14 Jul 2011 23:14:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Out-of-the-confusion-conspiracy-theories-emerge-15260 The past year in global politics offered plenty of fodder for conspiracy theorists. Thu, 07 Jul 2011 19:25:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Russia-and-NATO-time-to-abandon-illusions-15256 Today is the moment for Russia and NATO to end seeing each other through the Cold War prism Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:51:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Inertia-and-maneuvering-in-Russias-foreign-policy-season-15255 July is a quiet time in international politics, which gives us a chance to tally the results of the most recent season in Russian foreign policy. Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:48:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/pubcol/Russias-Asian-Strategy-15254 For some Russians economic movement towards Asia spells deviation from the European way of development and closer relations with Europe. Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:42:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Twenty-years-after-the-Balkan-tragedy-15251 On June 25, 1991, Slovenia and Croatia, two republics of the former Yugoslavia, declared independence. Thu, 23 Jun 2011 19:36:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Transforming-the-Face-of-the-Korean-Peninsula-15248 It would be counter-productive for Russia to quarrel with its neighbor, let alone to press for its downfall, no matter how much the public might not agree. The bloodshed and misery that the unification of Korea in this way would entail will hardly be excused by North Korea’s far-off future prosperity, or even by Russia’s cooperation with a friendly, neutral and influential country. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:15:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Nuclear-Power-After-Tsunami-15247 Fukushima has demonstrated that the days when a country hit by a nuclear accident deals with the consequences on its own are gone. The internationalization of challenges facing the world nuclear power industry requires that the nuclear community internationalize the response – the more so in security matters and, in particular, in such emergencies as nuclear accidents. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:10:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Afghanistan-Trapped-in-Uncertainty-15246 An early withdrawal of foreign troops can destabilize the situation in Afghanistan and radicalize the entire region. On the other hand, NATO’s continued presence will strain Washington’s relations with Moscow, Beijing and Tehran. Worse still, if the present situation of uncertainty persists, it will prevent all the players involved from working out an effective pattern of behavior. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:08:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Should-the-Shanghai-Cooperation-Organization-Be-Enlarged---15245 It is a matter of whether the SCO will evolve as just a club of states, or whether it will become a serious international mechanism comparable in influence to ASEAN or APEC or, perhaps, even excelling them. Considering the unpredictable situation in Central Asia, which may see yet events similar to the “Arab Awakening,” the SCO may soon prove to be very essential. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:54:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/The-Last-Mirage-of-Durability-15244 References to the Moslem periphery of the former Soviet empire sprang up during the peak of events in Tunisia and Egypt. All of the characteristics of North African countries – authoritarian (at best, but in most cases totalitarian) regimes that have ruled for decades; nepotism, corruption and contempt for human rights; extreme poverty, unemployment and the lack of a social security net – can be easily applied to Central Asian reality. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:49:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/When-Dreams-Come-True-15243 The culture of tolerance and respect for the rights of minorities is much more important than a democratic form of government and the related procedures, such as free multiparty elections. However, such a liberal political culture is absent from the Arab-Muslim world – and the introduction of a new, formally democratic form of government will not lead to the triumph of liberal values. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:31:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Between-MAD-and-Flexible-Response-15242 The priority of U.S.-Russian relations once again, as in the 1970s, is the development of stabilizing rules of conduct in case of an unauthorized military clash or conflict with third countries. The situation, however, may change. Will Moscow and Washington be able to keep the logic of mutual assured destruction, which for half a century has ensured peaceful bilateral relations? Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:08:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/A-European-Missile-Defense-System-to-Replace-the-Great-Game-15241 The transformation of strategic relations between Russia and America along the lines of arms control is impossible in principle. The most realistic way to transform U.S.-Russian relations is to build a security community in the Euro-Atlantic area, within which relations between North American and European states, including Russia, would be demilitarized. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:54:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/The-Labyrinths-of-Historical-Policy-15240 History will likely become an important, if not decisive, ideological element in reformatting the entire social and political sphere in Russia – something that is practically inevitable twenty years after the collapse of the Soviet Union and because the related emotions and images are gradually disappearing from most peoples’ short-term memories. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:47:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Russias-Accession-to-the-WTO-External-Implications-15239 Many Russians today, as they try to assess the role and place of their country in the international community, often proceed not from the global realities of the 21st century, but rather from nostalgia for that “once-mighty power, the Soviet Union,” a country “everyone feared and respected.” Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:34:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/What-Does-Russia-Want-15238 The bottom strategic line could not be clearer: Russia is no longer a superpower, even if some in the Kremlin hanker after such standing. Consequently, Russia must recognize the nature of its decline (just like Britain) and better prepare for today’s challenges rather than re-fighting the old ones. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:27:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/The-Island-of-Russia-15237 There is no greater joy for a Russian intellectual than to speculate about a decline of America. The problem is that the Russians still do not see any other worthy role for their country in the 21st century than the role of a superpower, as a state that realizes itself primarily through influence on global processes. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:12:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/After-the-Tandem-Russian-Foreign-Policy-Guidelines-15236 The new configuration of power after the 2011 and 2012 elections will not so much determine a radical change in Russian foreign policy (which is unlikely), but indicate whether or not Russia will become a new source of global turbulence. In the end it is the election, not the winner, that matters, i.e. its ability or inability to secure the legitimacy of the next president. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:57:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/When-the-Dust-Settles-15235 The fallout from the turbulent events of the winter and spring of 2011 is gradually subsiding. Wed, 22 Jun 2011 19:54:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/SCOs-10-year-search-for-balance-15233 Created for the purely practical purpose of settling border disputes between China and the former Soviet republics in Central Asia, the SCO has evolved into a major regional and global political player since its founding 10 years ago. Thu, 16 Jun 2011 19:45:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Epilogue-on-joint-missile-defense-15214 This week’s meeting of the NATO-Russia Council draws a line under an interesting and revealing discussion on joint missile defense. Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:34:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Time-for-reflection-15211 The 2012 guessing game about the future of the so-called tandem of Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin is beginning to dominate the political debate in Russia. Fri, 03 Jun 2011 09:52:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Georgias-risky-decision-to-recognize-the-Circassian-genocide-15208 The Georgian parliament has voted to recognize the 1864 genocide against the Circassian people in the Russian Empire. Thu, 26 May 2011 15:16:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/event/The-analytical-report-The-US---Russa-Relations-after-the-Reset-Building-a-New-Agenda-A-View-from-Rus Tue, 24 May 2011 12:37:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Europe-after-Sofitel-15205 It is still unclear whether the sensational story of Dominique Strauss-Kahn's alleged sexual assault of a maid at New York's Sofitel hotel is more of a tragedy or a farce, but it is bound to have repercussions. Fri, 20 May 2011 00:02:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Pakistans-vicious-circle-15201 Russian-Pakistani relations, historically somewhat frosty, have recently improved. Thu, 12 May 2011 22:37:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/The-master-of-historical-byplay-15199 The Euronews TV channel quoted a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars standing in a crowd outside the White House on Monday. Fri, 06 May 2011 14:23:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/CSTO-must-evolve-into-military-alliance-15196 UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon addressed an enlarged meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization’s Permanent Council at its Moscow headquarters on April 22. Analysts view this as an important milestone. Thu, 28 Apr 2011 23:43:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Arab-spring---after-the-euphoria-has-faded-15193 The unrest in the Middle East and North Africa has not stopped, but the feeling of sensational novelty it created in winter is fading. Sat, 23 Apr 2011 12:51:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/pubcol/Should-We-Overcome-Deterrence-15192 The wave around the idea of the “nuclear zero”, has not calmed down yet. The idea from my point of view was not only unrealistic, but out right dangerous. Fri, 22 Apr 2011 00:30:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/BRICS-goes-from-fantasy-to-reality-15169 With the addition of South Africa, the informal group of emerging economies known as BRIC has become BRICS. Sun, 17 Apr 2011 20:29:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/History-and-uncertain-future-spark-heated-debate-15165 Questions of history prompt heated debate and stir powerful emotions in Russia, as in all post-Communist countries. Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:37:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/redcol/Those-peace-loving-Germans-15156 The vote in the UN Security Council that sanctioned military intervention in Libya may have serious consequences for European politics. Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:48:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/pubcol/Lucky-Russia-15154 Despite all the weaknesses of its development model, this country is viewed as a rising economy, with a prospect of becoming an economic power in the future. Tue, 29 Mar 2011 12:24:00 +0400 http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Vigor-Toughness-and-Tolerance-15152 For all the obvious differences between the three presidents of the Russian Federation and despite the upheavals experienced by the country over the 20 years of its existence, the goals that Moscow set for itself during this period have changed much less than one might think. The Kremlin, under each of the presidents, has always sought to restore Russia’s role as a leading player in the international arena. Sun, 27 Mar 2011 15:51:00 +0400