Valdai Club

If one looks at the Afro-Euro-Asian landmass in its entirety—the largest landmass on the planet—its geographic heart is not the inner steppe, but rather the body of water that connects its northern, southern, and eastern margins, Lorenzo Maria Pacini writes.

The Russian case raises fundamental questions about the future of economic statecraft. Are sanctions still an effective instrument of geopolitical pressure, or are they increasingly counterproductive? Do they reinforce the existing international order, or do they contribute to its gradual transformation in ways that may ultimately disadvantage the West?

The transition of the Supreme Leader in Iran represents a crucial step for the political and religious system of the Islamic Republic, founded on the doctrine of Wilayat al-Faqih. This figure, who combines spiritual authority and political power, guarantees the legitimacy of the state and the balance between internal forces, particularly between the Revolutionary Guards and the regular army, Lorenzo Maria Pacini writes. The author is a participant of the Valdai – New Generation project.