Russia in Global Affairs

Trumpism is not an attempt to restore the global leadership of the 1990s–2010s, when Washington aimed to regulate the entire planet. The new approach is different. It exploits every lever of American power accumulated through decades of hegemony. Not for universal rule, but for specific gain. It is also strikingly honest. Material interest is openly declared, and there is little effort to disguise it behind “values.”

Many of today’s conflicts stem from seeing the world through a prism that divides it into democracies and autocracies, into a liberal-democratic garden surrounded by a jungle. In such a view, those who are not with us (and not like us) are against us. It is high time to overcome such a Manichean mentality.

“One of Russia’s tasks, among others, is to bring Europe to its senses. Let us hope this can be done without the use of nuclear weapons – solely through the threat of their use. But sooner or later, if Europeans continue to support the war, sacrificing millions of Ukrainians, Russia’s patience and forbearance will run out, and we will have to punish them harshly – hopefully in a limited manner.”

The Middle East is currently navigating through a complex and volatile phase of development. The emergence of new security partnerships, shifting alliances, and the intensifying strategic rivalries underscore the fragility of the region’s stability. Multiple flashpoints heighten the risk of escalation, with the possibility of military confrontation with Iran remaining a major concern.