Russia in Global Affairs

Some countries, such as the U.S., India, and Germany, eschew academic training of their diplomats, confining training to a more limited set of professional skills such as crisis management and digital engagement. This trend can be attributed to the increasing velocity and complexity of the international system: cyber threats, economic shocks and more.

In international crises the sides have to rely on unreliable communication channels and often interpret the other sides’ intentions based on the nature of the actions being taken. This guesswork expands the room for speculation and misinterpretation. The latter, in turn, makes the situation extremely difficult to calculate and, hence, even more dangerous.