The Arab Spring has shifted the balance in the Middle East, highlighting new problems and challenges for Russia and other regional and extra-regional powers.
Russia’s Sochi played host to the Valdai Discussion Club Middle East section’s conference “Transformation in the Arab World and Russia’s Interests” on February 17-18, 2012.
The Valdai International Discussion Club held the Moscow-Astana videoconference “Elections in Kazakhstan and the outlook for Eurasian integration” at the RIA Novosti press center.
The theses contained in the report “Russia should not miss its chance: Development scenarios” were prepared by the working group comprising Russian and international experts ahead of the VIII annual Valdai Discussion Club meeting, themed “2011-2012 Elections and the Future of Russia. Development Scenarios for the Next 5-8 Years”.
The Valdai Index represents the combined opinion of leading world experts that participated in Valdai Club conferences with respect to Russia’s development in the political, economic, social, cultural and international spheres. Download Russia Development Index 2010-2011 in Russian (PDF)
The report examines how the Russia’s and United States` ties with the countries in post-Soviet Eurasia affect the bilateral relationship. The authors argue that despite the initial successes of the “reset” in Russia-U.S. relations, disputes relating to post-Soviet Eurasia represent “a ‘landmine’ in Russia -U.S. relations that could ‘detonate’ at any time and seriously complicate cooperation on other issues.
02/22/201212:49
02/22/201210:27 Patrick Seale, a leading British writer on the Middle East and the author of several books about Syria and the Arab world, shares his opinion on Russia’s role in the Middle East on the sidelines of an international conference, entitled “Transformation in the Arab World and Russia’s Interests,” held on February 17-18 in the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi.
02/22/201210:18 According to Peter Harling, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon Project Director, International Crisis Group, Syria, previously an important central player n the region, became an arena where other actors, especially Turkey and Iran, can play.
02/22/201209:55 The cancellation of the Camp David Accords, which contains military and political obligations on both Egypt and Israel, could lead to anarchy that would be equally damaging to Egypt’s interests, thinks Andrei Baklanov, Head of International Affairs Department, Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of Russia.
02/02/201209:49 About a hundred of Russian and foreign experts discussed Russia’s potential course in global politics and the world economy, and political and economic trends in the country that may influence its development in the medium term.
12/23/201115:03 Russia and the United States have failed in the efforts at bilateral energy cooperation. According to Mikhail Troitskiy, Adjunct professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, member of the Working Group of U.S.–Russia Relations, due to the lack of trust between Russian and the U.S. politicians and the lack of standing issues that haven’t been resolved, both countries are not enthusiastic about pushing their companies towards cooperation.
12/22/201110:03 Roderick MacFarquhar, Professor of History and Political Science at Harvard University, member of the Working Group of U.S.–Russia Relations, claims that the main collaboration between Russia and China – global politics. Both countries think that by being friendly with each other and having military cooperation they can balance United States.
12/21/201116:26 According to Keith Darden, Associate Professor of Political Science at Yale University, member of the Working Group of U.S.–Russia Relations, the presidential elections in Russia and U.S. will lead to chilling of bilateral relations.
11/21/201111:23 Vyacheslav Nikonov, CEO, Russkiy Mir Foundation, Dean, School of Public Administration, Moscow State University, took part in the eighth annual conference of the Valdai International Discussion Club. The theme of the conference was “The 2011-2012 Elections and the Future of Russia: Development Scenarios for the Next 5-8 Years.”
11/21/201111:20 Sergey Dubinin, Member of the Board, VTB Capital Investment Business VTB Group, took part in the eighth annual conference of the Valdai International Discussion Club. The theme of the conference was “The 2011-2012 Elections and the Future of Russia: Development Scenarios for the Next 5-8 Years.”
