Valdai Club

The world is entering a new technology cycle which empowers governments with new tools to advance their interests and creates a space for interaction between states, in which the rules have not yet been determined. At a time where the key military and strategic invention of the previous era – nuclear weapons – remains primarily a deterrent, economic and technological competition has become the main battlefi eld for offensive actions among the leading players.

Technology has become one of the most important spheres in the race for power in the 21st century. The two main technology ecosystems – the American and the Chinese – have clearly taken shape by the beginning of the third decade of the new century. A dilemma for Russia in this regard is whether to join one of the existing platforms or develop one of its own. The choice in favour of the fi rst option implies negotiating the conditions for joining. The second option requires a more ambitious strategy that will determine the key parameters of a Russian techno-ecosystem.