On August 25, the Valdai Club held an expert discussion, titled “Half a year in a new reality: How has the world changed since February 24?”
Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine marked a turning point for the existing world order and the beginning of a new period in modern Russian history. It has become a kind of point of no return: the international community cannot return to the previous conditions, when the Western liberal model dominated. Over the past six months, the Russian Federation has withstood the onslaught of the West in an economic war. It continues to make efforts to establish and strengthen multi-polarity, while the United States and its allies are trying to isolate and exclude Russia from the international trade and financial system.
Over the last two decades, in world politics and especially in the economy, a shift in the center of activity and influence from the Euro-Atlantic to the Indo-Pacific region has become obvious. In June, at the International Legal Forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, “some states are not ready to accept the loss of dominance on the world stage, they are striving to preserve the unfair unipolar model.” Meanwhile, a multipolar system of international relations is being actively formed, and this process is irreversible.
It is assumed that the new reality will be based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, without pressure and actions in the interests of individual states. Against this background, of particular interest is the position of Russia, which initiated the fight against Western dominance and promotes international values shared by most non-Western countries, including China, a major player.
What international political changes did Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine lead to? What factors will determine the shape of the emerging world order? What position will Russia, China and the United States occupy in it? Participants of the discussion will try to answer these and other questions.
Speakers:
- Konstantin Kosachev, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
- Andrey Kortunov, Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC)
- Dimitri Simes, President, Center for the National Interest, Washington
- Nelson Wong, Vice Chairman and Executive Director, Shanghai Centre for RimPac Strategic and International Studies
Moderator:
- Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club.