Tag: Russian Foreign Policy

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Vladimir Putin’s Annual Speech

President Putin discussed foreign affairs in his Dec. 1 “Annual Speech,”  roughly equivalent to the U.S. State of the Union address given each year by the American President. We have excerpted, without comment, Putin’s key points below.  Similar to our analysis of Moscow’s recent “Foreign Policy Concept” document, we found that much of what President Putin states contradicts reality:

FOREIGN POLICY EXCERPTS FROM PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN’S 2016 ANNUAL SPEECH

“We do not want confrontation with anyone. We have no need for it and neither do our partners or the global community. Unlike some of our colleagues abroad, who consider Russia an adversary, we do not seek and never have sought enemies. We need friends. But we will not allow our interests to be infringed upon or ignored. We want to and will decide our destiny ourselves and build our present and future without others’ unasked for advice and prompting.

“At the same time, we desire well-intentioned and equal dialogue and we affirm the principles of justice and mutual respect in international affairs. We are ready for a serious discussion on building a stable system of international relations for the 21st century. Sadly, the decades that have passed since the end of the Cold War have been wasted.

“We support security and development opportunities not just for the select few, but for all countries and peoples, and we support respect for international law and global diversity. We oppose any monopoly, whether it be a claim to exceptionality or attempts to bend the international trade rules to suit one’s own needs, limit freedom of speech and, in fact, introduce censorship to the global information space.

“Russia attaches great importance to the idea of building a multi-level integration model for Eurasia in the form of a Greater Eurasian Partnership. We are already discussing this idea on various international and regional levels. I am confident that we can have conversation with the European Union countries, where the demand for political and economic independence is currently on the rise. This is what we see judging by election results.

“There is great potential for Russia in terms of cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region, as we saw at this year’s Eastern Economic Forum. I ask the Government to make sure that all decisions regarding the development of the Russian Far East are implemented without exception. Let me reiterate that Russia is proactive in its Eastern policy not because of any momentary considerations we may have, not because of the cooling in relations with the United States or the European Union, but for the reason that it serves Russia’s long-term interests and is consistent with the global development trends.

“In today’s challenging environment, the comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation between Russia and China have become one of the key factors in ensuring global and regional stability. This partnership can be regarded as a model for shaping a world order free from the domination of a single country, no matter how strong it is, and taking into account the interests of all countries in harmony.

“Today, China is about to become the world’s largest economy, so it is very important that every year adds new large-scale projects in various areas, including trade, investment, energy and high technology, to our mutually beneficial cooperation.

Goldstein’s new http://midwayfire.com/minutes/03-11-08.pdf purchase cheap viagra analysis on the consequences of seat stress and stress due to over work. This chemical is responsible for the production of viagra sale mastercard the three hormones mentioned. Legitimate online pharmacies normally include pharmacists who can verify prescriptions, answer questions, check to find out more on line viagra and give alerts and suggestions the same as their physical counterparts. The first generic product of midwayfire.com cialis uk is made with a preparation called Sildenafil Citrate. “Developing a special privileged strategic partnership with India is another major foreign policy priority for Russia. In October 2016, Goa hosted Russian-Indian top-level talks, confirming that our countries have great potential for strengthening cooperation in a number of areas.

“Russia also expects to achieve substantial progress in relations with Japan, our eastern neighbour. We welcome the commitment of the country’s leaders to promote economic ties with Russia by launching joint projects and programmes.

“Russia is also ready to work with the new US Administration. It is important to put bilateral relations back on track and to develop them on an equal and mutually beneficial basis.

“Cooperation between Russia and the United States in addressing global and regional issues will benefit the whole world. We have a shared responsibility to ensure international security and stability, to strengthen non-proliferation regimes.

“I would like to emphasize that attempts to break the strategic parity are extremely dangerous and can lead to a global catastrophe. We must not forget about it even for a second.

“I certainly count on joining efforts with the United States in the fight against real rather than fictional threats, international terrorism being one of them. That is the task our servicemen are fulfilling in Syria. Terrorists have suffered significant losses. The Russian Army and Navy have shown convincingly that they are capable of operating effectively away from their permanent deployment sites.

“Russia is proactive in promoting a positive agenda in international organisations and informal associations, including the UN, the Group of Twenty and APEC. Together with our partners we also promote our own frameworks, such as the CSTO, BRICS and the SCO. Further strengthening cooperation within the Eurasian Economic Union and with other CIS countries has always been a foreign policy priority for Russia.”

 

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International Relations: A View From Russia

On December 1, Russia unveiled its new “Foreign Policy Concept.”

The document states that Moscow’s policy is “open, foreseeable” and “shaped by centuries” of Russia’s historic role. There is little new in it, the first of its kind since Moscow invaded the Ukraine. It seeks to separate Europeans from the U.S., but alleges that Washington is attempting to alienate European nations from the Kremlin. It describes Russia as part of the larger European family, and complains of right-wing movements within European politics. It warns that there is no probable near-term improvement in relations with America, and emphasizes Russia’s growing friendship with China, a relationship clearly pointed against the U.S.

Adding to its propaganda-first nature, it describes Russian foreign policy as “morally superior,” wholly ignoring Moscow’s recent invasions of Ukraine and Georgia, its role in Iran’s nuclear program, its threats against the Balkans, and, most significantly, the placement of short range nuclear missiles to its European border.

Despite Putin’s massive arms buildup, its violations of the Intermediate Range Missile Treaty, and its first-ever lead in nuclear weapons, the document complains about “… the intensifying political, social and economic contradictions and the growing instability of the world political and economic system…the role of the factor of force in international relations increases…The build-up and modernization of the force potential, the creation and deployment of new types of armaments are undermining strategic stability and creating a threat to global security ensured by a system of treaties and agreements in the sphere of arms control.”

Optimistically, the Concept states that “While the danger of unleashing a large-scale war, including a nuclear conflict, remains low among leading states,” but worries about “increasing risks of [nations] involvement in regional conflicts and the escalation of crises.” It pledges that “Russia stands for constructive cooperation with the US in the field of arms control, with a compulsory allowance for an inseparable correlation between strategic offensive and defense weapons.”

Terrorism clearly concerns Moscow. “The global terrorist threat has acquired a qualitatively new nature with the emergence of the international terrorist organization Islamic State and similar groups making violence unprecedentedly cruel, seeking to create their own state and increasing their influence on a territory between the Atlantic coast and Pakistan.” The Concept calls for the “creation of a broad international anti-terrorist coalition on a solid legal base, on the basis of efficient and systematic cooperation of states, without politicizing and double standards, using possibilities of the civil society, first of all with an aim to prevent terrorism and extremism, counter the spread of radical ideas.”

Don’t waste time then and make acai berry a part of icks.org india pharmacy viagra your diet at once. Sex is the utmost important viagra for sale cheap activity in life too early just because you are not being able to perform in your bedroom with your partner. Many fast generic cialis people shy away from online medical pharmacies for your requirement. It is not advisable to buy cheaper alternatives. generic viagra mastercard The gap between reality and the Kremlin’s Foreign Policy Statement is reflective of a disconnect between Moscow’s words, its actions, and its international standing.

A recent Rand analysis notes:

“Although Russia is a great power, [Putin] may have an inflated sense of its importance and expect one-sided U.S. concessions. If so, diplomacy could run into headwinds early in the Trump administration. One obstacle in dealing with the Kremlin is that its positions are sometimes not pragmatic. Despite Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, Putin claimed last week that “it’s not our fault” U.S. relations were poor.In suspending implementation of a U.S. plutonium disposition accord in October, Putin set out unrealistic preconditions for its resumption. One was reduction of U.S. military presence in a number of countries on NATO’s eastern flank, in effect requiring a reversal of the main decision at the alliance’s summit last July in Warsaw. A second demand was that America jettison all sanctions imposed in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine and, incredibly, provide “compensation for the damage they have caused…“Russia is a declining economic power. This erodes its leverage with the West, a vital source of capital and technology. Since 2012, Russia’s economic growth has slowed, partly due to wasteful state control of business, which soared from 35 percent of gross domestic product in 2005 to 70 percent in 2015. Combined with lower oil prices and Ukraine-related sanctions, the result is prolonged economic stagnation.

“Trump will face a Russia whose foreign policy has led to isolation and criticism. Although the intervention in Syria has bolstered the regime of Bashar al-Assad and held the line on the battlefield, political costs to Russia are high…[he] must deal with a festering Russian violation of the 1987 treaty that bans intermediate-range nuclear missile forces. Diplomacy to resolve the problem has come up short, and presidential-level attention is required.” Russia remains in material breach of the accord.  While engaging in overtly hostile activities, the Kremlin unblushingly condemns purely defensive acts, such as the placement of anti-missile equipment, that are meant to deter Iran.

The Rand study further notes that “Russia’s cyberespionage and political influence operations have led to bipartisan anger in Washington. “

Putin’s dramatic arms buildup comes at a time when the U.S. had slashed its defense spending.  The time has come for a clear-eyed understanding of Moscow’s aggressive stance.