Valdai Club

Igor Chernov

Brahma Chellaney

Youssef Cherif

Richard Connolly

Elena Chernenko

Alexander Cooley

Steve Clemons

James Collins

Alexander Chekov

Alastair Crooke

United Kingdom

Former British diplomat, founder and director of the Conflicts Forum.

Materials

Russia Has Dissolved America’s Uni-Polar Project in the Middle East

Why did Russia become involved? On the one hand, the more cynical of the commentariat suggest that President Putin simply saw an opportunity for Russia to recover its global profile, but that, surely, is too facile. The Syria intervention, from a Russian perspective, would, from the outset, have been judged a grave gamble.

Managing Geo-Political Change: Attending to the Architecture

If Trump truly wants paradigm change, through establishing détente with Russia, he must first attend to the architecture of change (it does not attend to itself), or see it all slip away, for the sake of pleasing certain old American ‘allies’; or because the cultural change message is not reaching down to the field commanders

More Animosity with Iran Expected As Saudi King Appoints New Crown Prince

The new Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is known for his staunch anti-Iran views and this will be reflected in Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy. Many of the prince’s associates, even if not the prince himself, speak of the conflict with Iran in terms of religious struggle, or jihad, against Shia apostasy.

Why Saudi Arabia Is Bitter About Qatar

In an interview with valdaiclub.com, Alastair Crooke, former British diplomat, founder and director of the Conflicts Forum, explained the reasons of the feud between Qatar and Saudi Arabia. These include Qatar’s efforts to open up to Iran and its support of political Islam movements, which Riyadh considers a threat to its monarchical rule.

Syria: An Airstrike Inspired by TV Images, Not Evidence

The United States airstrike on a Syrian air base was based on emotions, not factual evidence, and will have lasting consequences for the region, Valdai Club expert Alastair Crooke believes.

Syria: In the Geo-Political Waiting Room

The next period will be a real test of Syrian and Russian (and Chinese) statesmanship. Expect a real roller-coaster ride of threatened crises and touted break-throughs, as the new US Administration begins to come up against today’s geo-political landscape. Whatever way the cards fall, by the end of 2017, the Middle East will look different – and likely, Syria will be in a much better place.

Will Turkey Truly Pivot to Russia? What Now for Neo-Ottomanism?

Apparently ‘the pivot’ has already begun: the first high level meeting since the downing of the Russian military aircraft over Syria last November took place this week. The Deputy PMs of Turkey and Russia met in Moscow to lay the foundations for a later summit in August, between Presidents Putin and Erdogan in the former’s home town of St Petersburg, to set the seal on the new rapprochement.

05.08.2016

Brexit as a Convenient Scapegoat

The Iraq War, Chilcot’s exculpatory report, and Brexit have certainly advanced the global-wide movements of sovereignty-ism, nationalism and secessionism.

Vision 2030: Saudi’s ‘Great Leap Forward’

Saudi Arabia clearly needs change. Its present economic model simply is unsustainable in the wake of the collapse in the oil price, and with a young leader in control, who has, at least until now, bet the Saudi treasury, double-or-quits, on wars in Syria and Yemen, and in extravagant foreign policy gestures (Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq and Libya). And now, predictably, the western consultants, McKinsey, have been called in to rescue the kingdom from the enveloping crisis.

20.06.2016

The "Great Rejuvenation" of China and the Basis of the Global Order

Xi Jinping, in common with many Russians, is saying that a global order based on growing consumption, inequality and moral vacuum is a “grave threat from within” – even an existential threat.

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Video

The State – The New Leaders and the Old Institutions. Third Session of the Valdai Club Middle East Conference (in Arabic)

30.03.2021

The State – The New Leaders and the Old Institutions. Third Session of the Valdai Club Middle East Conference (in English)

30.03.2021

Alastair Crooke on the Russian Intervention in Syria

20.02.2018

Alastair Crooke: We Have No Clear Line Between Resistance and Terrorism

29.05.2017