The “Belt and Road” in Russia: Evolution of Expert Discourse

The implementation of the “Belt and Road” initiative became dependent on the pro et contra balance that is not conducive to cooperation for the time being. “Gains and prospects” are abstract, while “risks and threats,” on the contrary, are quite concrete and cannot be ignored.

The Grandeur and Miseries of Russia’s “Turn to the East”

The reasons for Russia’s turn to the East obviously lie in geopolitics?it was unable to establish a fruitful interaction with the West. China also failed to develop equal relations with Western countries. That is why many Russia’s decisions about the Far East were taken without proper calculations regarding the chances for economic development and investment attractiveness.

Accelerated Development of the Russian Far East

The Far East development strategy should focus on building an area of innovative resource-based economy. The production of innovative resource-intensive goods and services with a focus on the growing Asian markets running low on natural resources could be an attractive niche for the Russian Far East to take and succeed in.

The Formula of Trumponomics

Globalization American-style has reached its natural limits, and now China and Asia as a whole are becoming the main beneficiaries of world development. The current growth of neomercantilism, protectionism and regionalization in the world resembles the situation of the decade before World War I.

Russia-Japan -- peace can wait

Putin has snubbed Abe as he boosts links with China amid growing US hostility to Beijing and Moscow.

Existential Alternative for Europe?

The Belt and Road Initiative and Its Impact on Europe

The Belt and Road Initiative, originally aimed at domestic economic development, has turned into an umbrella bringing together China’s ambitious projects to shape a new order in Eurasia, which directly influences Europe.

Insights and Recommendations

This compilation is meant as a sampling of Graham’s views. The quotes below are divided into categories similar to those in Russia Matters’ news and analysis digests, reflecting the most pertinent topic areas for U.S.-Russian relations broadly and for drivers of the two countries’ policies toward one another.

Alt-Right: A Rise of Radical Alternative Rightist Movements in the Trumpist Framework

Alt-Right incarnation of the right-wing ideology presents a dubious and quite self-contradictive concept. What is more important is that it clearly illustrates the massive ideological and political transformation that alters the political balance in the Western countries.

Belt and Road to Where?

Setting aside the shortcomings of the Belt and Road concept, the “OBOR hype’ around the world points to a real and fundamental trend — the ascent of China as a truly global economic and military power.

Russian and Chinese Influences in Shared Borderlands

The political and economic relationship between Russia and China has been intensifying over the past decade, particularly as Moscow has attempted to “pivot to the East.”

The New Northern Policy and Korean-Russian Cooperation

While the North Korea crisis hangs over regional and global peace, the world calls out to constructive and peaceful cooperation that can halt the ‘conflict spiral’. The Russian-Korean cooperation and Eurasian integration may become a remedy for the problem.

European Union Is Back in the Game

On September 13, 2017, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker delivered his annual State of the Union address before the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The address prompted significant reaction both within the EU and far beyond its borders.

On the Paradox of Global Economic Integration

Concerns over the global economic slowdown appear to be gradually receding this year as the global economy is set to muster an acceleration in growth on the back of a strong showing by the Eurozone, the US and China.

Neo-Mercantilism, Neo-Modernism or Neo-Imperialism?

American-style globalization is being replaced not with its Asian variety, but a very harsh geopolitical reaction to protectionism as an antagonist of globalization.

Indifference Threatens Russia–France Relations

300 years of Russia-France diplomatic relations have been marked by a lot of events that seriously affected their development.

Kurdish referendum a double-edged sword for Russia

The runup to the Kurdish independence referendum that took place Sept. 25 revealed just how politically intertwined different actors are in the modern Middle East. Russia is no stranger to diplomatic games and typically follows a strategy of inserting itself into the most dynamic contexts, hoping to reap benefits and make itself more visible in the region.

Russia sees Saudi Arabia as 'gatekeeper' to Mideast

Russian officials say Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud is coming to Moscow for a visit, but the kingdom has been playing coy, perhaps as a bargaining tactic.

BRICS-Plus: Alternative Globalization in the Making?

By building a network of economic alliances across continents, the BRICS may take the lead in shaping global economic integration against the backdrop of waning integration impulses in the developed world.

Trump's Business Record in Russia Is Humiliating

He never had what it takes to negotiate with Moscow.

Russia’s Eurasian Model of Modernization

As Russia’s literary classicists claimed, the most important issue for Russia is a sense of direction and in today’s context this is exactly what is lacking in Russia’s economic policy paradigm.

From Liberal Globalisation to Economic Nationalism?

The election of Donald Trump, the UK’s exit from the European Union, and strong challenges to the current ruling elites by populist parties in France, Greece, Holland, Hungary and Poland confront the neo-liberal ruling elites. These social movements, universally dubbed as ‘populist’, offer an electoral choice but we remain puzzled as to what policies they are likely to implement.

The West’s Decadent Foreign Policy

The West is increasingly reluctant to allow its vision of civil liberties and human rights to shape foreign policy, often owing to the potential commercial costs. Such foreign-policy decadence threatens to undermine the West's claim to be a community of values – and the EU's claim to be more than a glorified customs union.

Russia-China: An Alliance for Peace or War?

Will the union between China and Russia help strategic stability?

The Mechanics of BRICS+: A Tentative Blueprint

The current global setting characterized by waning integration and liberalization impulses in the developed world presents a possibility and a need for a renewed impetus towards economic integration in the world economy.

Japanese Yen Meets Russian Gas in the Far East

Currency issue is a political issue as much as it is an economic one, therefore political leadership is needed. Much depends on whether Japan can cooperate with Russia as the U.S. did with Saudi Arabia. Japan would be a stable buyer of natural gas and a stable provider of capital for Russia.

Without Partnership

The anticipated transition of the U.S. Republican administration towards bilateral free trade area agreements may become an even more effective strategy for geoeconomic consolidation of Asian allies around Washington.

Russian–Chinese Dialogue: The 2017 Model

This report presents the results of analysis of the state of Russia–China relations in 2016 and the first quarter of 2017.

Central Asia and the Global International Context

The fashion for Central Asia in international political and expert circles is notably weaker than what it was 10 or 15 years ago. This is due to the logic of international developments and the emergence of permanent sources of instability and tensions in other parts of the world, primarily in the Middle East.

Uncertain World Economy: Time to Manage the Global Governance

The world economy enters a new phase of prolonged recession without any breakthrough in sight. International community seems no longer capable of creating new global initiatives