One of the most important indicators of the state of the world is the configuration of threats and, which sometimes is more important, their perception by the major players. The ideal case is understanding of the common threats. Undesirable, but providing structural clarity, is mutual suspicion. The most difficult situation appears when the notions of dangers are far divergent, and the same facts are interpreted quite differently. Russia and the United States today are a case in point.
No matter how much talk about common threats (such as terrorism), it is clear that there are radical differences if not over the essence of the subject, but just over its origins and proposed countermeasures. In terms of mutual mistrust it is still more incomprehensible than during the Cold War. The parties live in different pictures of the world and the recent past, so that even the risk management looks rather depressing.
The next release of the Kommersant and the Washington Times joint project, which is supported by the Valdai Discussion Club and the Center for the National Interest in Washington, DC, is dedicated to the perception of threats. We can hardly bring the positions closer, but maybe we will be able at least to explain them better.
Fyodor Lukyanov, Research Director of the Valdai Discussion Club
Worries over American ascendancy. By Nikolas K. Gvosdev
Hierarchy of threats to Russia. By Andrei Suchentsov
Previous Publications:
U.S.-Russia Crosstalk: Iran Nuclear Deal
U.S.-Russia Crosstalk: Turkish Factor
U.S.-Russia Crosstalk: Initiative by the Valdai Discussion Club
