Washington is ready to talk; Russia should write the script
The diplomatic process surrounding the Russia-Ukraine conflict has taken a cautious step forward. The recent agreements reached in Riyadh may not yet constitute a breakthrough, but they represent the most significant diplomatic achievement since the grain deal of summer 2022.
Skeptics will note that the latest understandings lack firm guarantees. Indeed, Russia, the US, and Ukraine continue to differ in both the language and substance...
... RAS. Svetlana Gavrilova, RIAC Director of Programs, moderated the session.
During the first session, the presentation of the RIAC report, “Extra-Regional actors in the Middle East”, was held. The experts discussed regional strategies of Russia, USA, EU, China and India. Speakers in this session were the report authors: Alexander Aksenenok, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation, RIAC Vice-President; Alexander Lomanov, Acting Deputy Director for Scientific Work ...
In many ways, Brussels and Beijing face similar challenges coming from Washington
Lately the not-so-fresh idea of a “European strategic autonomy” has got back in circulation in many EU capitals. This should come as no surprise, given the condescending and even arrogant attitude displayed by the Donald Trump administration toward US' European allies. Politicians and state officials across the European continent can no longer take the transatlantic commonality of values or even the enduring US leadership...
The achieved results and existing limitations create an incentive for Washington and Moscow to discuss a potential peace. Nevertheless, both sides retain the material resources necessary to sustain the confrontation
The negotiations between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump marked a step toward resolving the Ukrainian conflict. However, the outcomes remain uncertain. A reversal could occur at any moment, given the multitude of unresolved, accumulated issues. The flawed legacy of the European security...
The diplomatic process is moving forward without unnecessary haste or abrupt shifts, clearly showing positive momentum
The conversation between Putin and Trump, along with official summaries of their call, reflects a continuing trend toward cautious optimism. Such a tone seemed unthinkable just a few months ago, and even now it’s hard to fully believe. Yet here we are.
Clearly, the key topic remains resolving the Ukraine crisis. The outlines of a potential solution are becoming more apparent, likely...
А meaningful step forward
As expected, the hype surrounding the Putin-Trump call proved exaggerated. Attempts to portray it as decisive and historic fell flat. Still, it remains a meaningful step forward, allowing several preliminary observations.
First, developments align closely with Russia’s preferred approach. Moscow resisted immediate ceasefire calls, emphasizing the necessity for carefully structured long-term agreements. This effectively deflected Washington’s urgency, especially after the...
Diplomats and analysts have reacted following the longest-ever telephone conversation between the presidents of Russia and the US
The most significant takeaway from the recent call was that it truly felt like a dialogue, not two separate monologues. Importantly, it wasn’t conducted via typical, ultimatum-style demands –
“accept our terms or face the consequences.”
Russia refused to be baited into such rhetoric, and thankfully, the United States also avoided taking such a futile stance.
An undeniable...
... systems. Yet, the regime governing missile and nuclear weapons continued to deteriorate. In 2019, the Trump administration initiated the withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. The INF crisis was preceded by years of mutual accusations, fuelled by new technological realities, the collapse of other arms control mechanisms (including the ABM Treaty), suspicions of new system developments, and the presence of such systems in third countries, notably China. During Trump’s first ...
Paradoxically, despite Britain’s exit from the European Union, she now finds herself playing a leading role in European security
Britain’s traditionally hostile attitude towards Russia—starting at least as early as 1791, when Prime Minister Pitt the Younger lambasted Russia for wishing to carve up the Ottoman Empire, continuing with the Crimean War and then the Great Game—has again come to the fore with the Ukrainian conflict. Sir Keir Starmer must therefore be in a bit of a tangle, given the momentous...
Donald Trump's return to the presidency brings a complex array of challenges and opportunities for Mexico. His administration's policies on immigration, trade, and social issues will significantly impact the bilateral relationship between the two nations.
A tougher stance on immigration
Trump's declaration of a "national emergency at our southern border" aims to halt immigration and expedite deportations of undocumented inpiduals. He promises deportations "at a level nobody has ever...
