SPIEF 2015: Building Bridges

European leaders must take action and resume as soon as possible some important dossiers, like the new strategic cooperation agreement with Russia. Only in this case Europe will play a global political role, creating a bridge between West and East.

The most recent tensions on the international arena and the threat to the entire globe posed by radical extremism, should teach that the only way to shape our future and to maintain a global order is to build bridges instead of raising curtains. A necessary perspective shared with a strong commitment during the Valdai Discussion Club session "Economic Interdependence vs. Political Isolation" in the framework of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

Interdependence in the world is a matter of fact. We will never be able to solve geopolitical and key strategic issues like the Mediterranean crisis, stopping nuclear proliferation in Iran or managing Europe’s migration crisis unless we have Russia (and China) on board.

So, since economic interdependence is also political interdependence I suggest to European leaders to take action and resume as soon as possible some important dossiers, like the new strategic cooperation agreement with Russia. Only in this case Europe will play a global political role, creating a bridge between West and East.

This is the message that I had the opportunity to discuss and share with a high level of participants during the Valdai Discussion Club session: an important and unique occasion to explain to the public opinion the importance of dialogue and diplomacy against the almost nostalgic position to turn the climate between East and West into a new Cold War. 

Views expressed are of individual Members and Contributors, rather than the Club's, unless explicitly stated otherwise.