Valdai Club

On January 23, 2025, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion dedicated to the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and Russia’s policy in the South Caucasus. Sergey Markedonov, Leading Researcher, Center for Euro-Atlantic Security, Institute of International Studies, MGIMO, Russian Foreign Ministry; Alexander Iskandaryan, Director, Caucasus Institute (Yerevan); Nikolai Silaev, Leading Researcher, Institute for International Studies, MGIMO, Russian Foreign Ministry; Kamran Gasanov, Senior Lecturer, Department of Theory and History of Journalism, Philological Faculty, RUDN University, participated. The event was moderated by Oleg Barabanov, Programme Director, Valdai Discussion Club.

On January 16, the Valdai Discussion Club hosted an expert discussion dedicated to the situation on the EU gas market in the wake of the cessation of transit through Ukraine. Alexey Grivach, Deputy Director General for Gas Issues and the National Energy Security Fund; Gábor Stier, Head of Foreign Policy Dpt., Magyar Nemzet newspaper (Hungary); Ján Čarnogurský, Member of the Board of Directors, Pan-European University of Bratislava (Slovakia), participated. The event was moderated by Anton Bespalov, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club.

On December 20 Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion in Moscow, titled “Sanctions Against Russia: A Look to 2025”.

On December 18, the Valdai Discussion Club hosted a discussion on strategic stability.

On December 16, the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow hosted a discussion on the situation in Syria.

On December 12, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion dedicated to the end of Brazil's presidency and the beginning of South Africa's presidency of the G20.

On December 10, a session titled: “Russia’s Pivot to Asia: Balancing Major Power Influence and Aligning With Regional Powers” was held as part of the 15th Asian Conference of the Valdai Club. The conference, which is took place in Kuala Lumpur on December 9-10, is organized by the Valdai Club in partnership with Bait al-Amanah Foundation, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and Institute for Strategic Analysis and Policy Research.

On December 10, a session titled: “ASEAN Centrality and the Minilateral Arrangement: Upholding Regional Security” was held as part of the 15th Asian Conference of the Valdai Club. The conference, which is took place in Kuala Lumpur on December 9-10, is organized by the Valdai Club in partnership with Bait al-Amanah Foundation, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and Institute for Strategic Analysis and Policy Research.

On December 9, as part of the 15th Asian Conference of the Valdai Club, two cooperation agreements were signed between think tanks from Russia and Malaysia. The conference, which is taking place in Kuala Lumpur on December 9-10, is organized by the Valdai Club in partnership with Bait al-Amanah Foundation, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and Institute for Strategic Analysis and Policy Research.

Relations between Russia and ASEAN exemplify a dynamic dialogue, whose goals, objectives and achievements are determined by the national development goals of the member states, as well as the high dynamics of interstate cooperation achieved within ASEAN over the past decades. The purpose of the third session of the 15th Asian Conference of the Valdai Discussion Club in partnership with Bait Al Amanah, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research was to discuss the key directions and achievements of the ASEAN-Russia dialogue, to identify difficulties and new opportunities regarding the structural changes that the world economy and politics are currently experiencing.