RIA Novosti Head of International Projects and political commentator.
Vladimir Putin highlighted the need “to catch the Chinese wind in the sails of our economy” and to “work toward creating a harmonious community of economies from Lisbon to Vladivostok,” which is in line with the concept of the “Alliance of Europe” proposed by Valdai Club experts in 2010. It is logical that Russia is ready to help Europe, because the European Union is Russia’s largest trade partner and export market.
Russia and the United States are actively resetting their relations and have reached important agreements in the sphere of strategic offensive arms. Mutual consensus on the non-proliferation issue will also facilitate expanded dialogue on the Iranian nuclear program.
Last year’s conflict in the Caucasus vividly demonstrated both the current system’s nascent but developing, instability, and its fragility
Security issues dominated the second day of discussions at the 6th summit of the Valdai Discussion Club in Yakutsk. Sessions held on the topics of a nuclear reset and Euro-Atlantic security architecture illustrated the significance of the impasse on both tracks and the need to continue the debate.
The cold war is over. This has been certified by the members of the Valdai Discussion Cub - the world’s leading experts on Russia and geopolitics – who gathered in Yakutsk for the 6th annual summit.
In an area of vital importance to Russia – its “Near Abroad” – Russia-U.S. interests are next to conflicting. Washington has never officially abandoned the idea of NATO expansion into Ukraine and Georgia, which is considered by Moscow as threatening its national security. Meanwhile, the stimuli to anti-Russian political forces in the CIS countries continue.
