The Valdai Discussion Club

The Valdai Discussion Club provides a global forum for  the world’s leading and best-informed experts on Russia to engage in a sustained dialogue about the country’s political, economic, social and cultural development.

Since 2004, the Club has gathered annually in Russia and has regularly met with the leadership of the Russian Federation, as well as Russian business leaders, media, academics, and political groups. The scope of the meetings has grown year by year, and participants now enjoy unprecedented access to Russia’s top politicians.

This website, which brings together contributions by participants in the Valdai Club meetings, provides a platform for incisive and informed analysis by the world’s leading commentators on the Russian scene.

The Club’s annual meetings are organized and sponsored by the Russian News & Information Agency RIA Novosti, the Russian Council for Foreign and Defense Policy (CFDP), Russia Profile and Russia in Global Affairs magazines, and The Moscow News newspaper.

3 September 2010

Russia's future is to be bridge between Europe and Asia - Valdai club

By Valdai Club

Thursday's session the Valdai Discussion Club meeting focused on whether Russia should search for closer ties with European or Asian countries.

The 7th Valdai Club Meeting, an expert forum for international specialists on Russia, headlined "Russia: History and Future Development," takes place between August 31 and September 7 onboard the Kronstadt cruise ship in northwestern Russia.

The discussion brought together prominent experts on Russia from 15 European countries, the United States and Asia, but they fail to come to a single opinion on whether Russia should choose Europe or Asia as its main partner.

Some experts believe that Russia should preserve its unique role of a bridge between Europe and Asia.

The most important task for Russia in this context is to make the country attractive for its own people and domestic capital.

Experts say that Russia's Soviet past remains a reason why other states, primarily its ex-Soviet neighbors, still treat it with caution.

Posted in:

2 September 2010

Valdai Club discusses Russia's modernization

By Valdai Club

Participants in a Valdai Discussion Club meeting discussed on Wednesday whether modernization is possible in Russia and, if so, how it can be achieved.

One of the major problems that hampers modernization in Russia is that it is initiated by the authorities and is being implemented in their interests, not in those of society, the experts said.

The Russian elite treat the society as children, which leads to mutual misunderstanding and harms the country's development, they added.

Russian experts appeared more critical in their opinions than their Western colleagues. The country should be modernized by the present generation, otherwise Russia will collapse, they said.

Western experts said changes that had already taken place in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union would allow further modernization.

Some experts said the Russians should modernize their "brains" first, which would lead to a wider modernization of the country.

Modernization should benefit Russia's market, not its authorities. The development of oil, gas and space industries strengthens the state, not the market.

Posted in: