International Affairs No. 3, 2024 – Table of Contents

Keywords : state-civilization, developing nations, African organizations, security agreements, BRICS

I WOULD like to highlight the fact that Russia is notably absent, it would seem, from the “South-West” paradigm. This is because our country cannot be fully categorized as either Western or Southern. We exist everywhere, and yet we do not fit neatly into these constructs. Some perspectives associate Russia with the Global North, while others link us to the Global East. However, [Russia’s] 2023 Foreign Policy Concept, which Alexander Vladimirovich Yakovenko referenced, defines the Russian Federation as a “unique state-civilization and a vast Eurasian and Euro-Pacific power” – a scope broader than these conventional classifications. And in the context of our discussion today, it is imperative to acknowledge Russia’s influence on global affairs. …

Keywords: deep state, globalization, generative models, nature and content of wars, mental war, ideology, the Russian World

Transformations in the minds are much easier among general shocks and accelerated development caused by war. …

Keywords: supply chain management, logistics, COVID-19, political risks, price fluctuations, price growth, political stimuli

SINCE mid-November 2023, when Houthis attacked dozens of commercial ships in response to Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip, many shipping companies opted to take what is known as the Cape Route. Transit volumes through the Suez Canal plummeted, and four out of the five biggest container shipping companies suspended their activities in the Red Sea. The Bab-el-Mandeb, a narrow strait between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula that had serviced about 10% of world trade and about 22% of world container shipping, became a restricted area. …

Keywords: international financial diplomacy, debt sustainability, public debt, sovereign default, IMF, debt restructuring

IN THE early 1990s, Indian sociopolitical circles actively discussed separating the functions of professional politicians, who traditionally head the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and shape the country’s foreign policy, and employees of the Indian diplomatic service of different levels who are part of the Indian civil service and directly engaged in implementing this foreign policy course. …

Keywords: multipolar world, sovereignty, cooperation, “New Era – New Ways” International Forum

A NEW intellectual center for a multipolar world has been established in Russia: the “New Era – New Ways” International Forum. Its first congress is due to take place on April 19, 2024, in Moscow. …

Keywords: international information security, UN, OEWG, GGE, ICT

AFTER the work of the fifth UN Group of Governmental Experts on Developments in the Field of Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security (hereinafter referred to as the GGE) came to an unsuccessful end in 2017, the question of how to organize relevant dialogue at the UN arose once again. Preserving such a dialogue and making it truly global became increasingly important amid the rapid development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the expanding possibilities of their use for illegal purposes. …

Keywords: digital revolution, ICTs, Open-ended Working Group. Roadmap for Digital Cooperation

THE digital revolution, like any other revolution, is having a significant impact on society. Its current stage is characterized by the rapid growth, development, and penetration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in all areas of social life. The use of online services, cloud storage, digital financial assets, wireless Internet, and artificial intelligence as a type of ICT has become commonplace. In fact, there is not a single area of modern life where advanced technology with digital components of various purposes and complexity have not found their application. Globally, informatization has become a source of goods and services that satisfy public and personal needs. …

Keywords: international law, rules-based international order, treaties, conventions, globalization, international institutions

EVEN during the most troubled times of the Cold War, when the bipolar world was being torn apart by numerous disagreements, international law was recognized and accepted by all participants in international interaction. That approach continued until the beginning of the 21st century, when Western countries began to actively promote the concept of a “rules-based international order” as an alternative to international law. …

Keywords: SMO, proxy war, fascism, Nazis, the Holocaust, Day of Military Glory, Friendship Manifesto

THE number of lives lost in the proxy war that the US and NATO have been waging since 2014 against Russia in Ukraine, coupled with the lives lost in other conflicts of the 21st century, could very likely exceed the number of losses in the two world wars of the 20th century. …

Keywords: militant Atlanticism, Russia, Ukraine, West, NATO, Special Military Operation (SMO)

IT IS becoming increasingly clear that some Westerners have been using Ukraine in their favor for a long time, forcing it to fight for unattainable goals, thereby destroying it. The country practically cannot function independently; about 40 countries around the world are supporting it with donations. The future of a huge European country is shaped by the intentions of others, primarily the US. It is already obvious that the preservation of Ukraine’s statehood and the size of its territory largely depend on how long the military confrontation with Russia will last. …

Keywords: Tuzla Spit, Treaty of Jassy, Wild Fields, Black Sea

RUSSIA’S ongoing struggle to ensure the security of its western and southwestern borders brings into sharp relief the place that the North Black Sea region holds in this process. …

Keywords: Russia, West, US, Global Majority, Middle East, Asia, Ukraine

EXACTLY 10 years have passed since Russia’s relations with the West nosedived – a considerable period by all measures. Today, people are entering adulthood who can hardly imagine even a friendly, let alone constructive, dialogue between Moscow and former “Western partners” turned “geopolitical opponents.” Of course, such crises have occurred in the past. One can recall how in the late 1940s and 1950s, the parties were on the brink of direct confrontation, and they crossed that line in Korea de facto if not de jure. But periods of downturns, even the deepest ones, always – especially after the end of World War II, when the US became the expression of Western interests – ended with diplomatic rounds that relieved tension and created conditions for a breather. …

Keywords: illegal immigration, Biden, Trump, US immigration policy, US Customs and Border Protection, US-Mexico border, Texas, ways to resolve the crisis

OVER the past three years, the US has faced unprecedented levels of illegal migration, not only at the US-Mexico border but also at the US-Canada border. The worsening crisis has exposed a number of serious problems, including an increase in gun violence, an increase in drug-related deaths, a lack of affordable housing, an increase in the homeless population, a growing burden on the social welfare system, and a tougher economic situation for American citizens. Although US President Joe Biden has been compelled to address this matter to some degree, the current efforts of his administration are clearly insufficient to resolve the crisis, which could ultimately affect the Democrats’ chances in the upcoming presidential election. …

Keywords: Magtymguly Fragi, Turkmenistan, humanism, national unity

THE year 2024 is the 300th anniversary of the birth of the great Turkmen poet and philosopher Magtymguly Fragi [also spelled Pyragy – Trans.], which in Turkmenistan is being celebrated under the motto “Fount of Wisdom Magtymguly Fragi.” …

Keywords: satellites, information space, functional distribution, applied satellites in the US military infrastructure

THE quantitative and qualitative characteristics of artificial Earth satellite constellations constitute one of the most significant indicators of a nation’s prestige, international influence, and potential. The role of satellite information and communications technology (ICT) in the global information space is growing, providing the means to ensure national security, foster communication with other countries and organizations, and maximize the balance between national and international interests. Moreover, the importance of the space echelon increases significantly during military-political crises. This is because infrastructure for collecting, studying, and processing information, in which satellites play a unique role, is vital for supporting military operations, economic analysis and forecasting, and government decision-making during conflicts. …

Keywords: Christian Orthodoxy, church, Russian culture, spiritual values, art

THE word “orthodoxy” (Greek: ὀρθοδοξία) consists of two words: “orthos” (straight, correct, right) and “doxa” (opinion, belief). This concept has been known since the second century and means the true faith that the Holy Church has preserved since the time of Jesus Christ. Orthodoxy, according to prominent Russian theologian Prof. Nikolay Glubokovsky, “is inexhaustible Christian energy coming from the very beginning with continuity and never changing or weakening” [6, p. 21]. Trinitarian, Christological, Mariological, soteriological, eschatological, ecclesiological, and other truths of Orthodoxy were developed at ecumenical and some local councils. …

Keywords: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Uniatism, Russia, Belarus

FOR many centuries, the religious factor has been one of the main policy tools of European states. Under the slogans of the spread of Catholicism, numerous crusades were carried out, countries and entire continents were seized, once free peoples were enslaved, and dissenters were destroyed. To achieve their goals, Western monarchies and knightly orders used a variety of methods – from conquest by fire and sword to bribery of local elites and crafty promises of the crown. …

Keywords: Eurasian integration, intellectual property, EAEU, Eurasian Patent Office, Eurasian Patent Organization

RUSSIA’S chairmanship of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) ended in 2023. One of the most important achievements was the development of Russian initiatives and the signing at a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on December 25 in St. Petersburg of new long-term planning documents, including the “Eurasian Economic Path” Declaration on Further Development of Economic Processes Within the EAEU Until 2030 and for the Period Until 2045. Six main areas were highlighted, including forming a common space of cooperative interaction on technological development, as well as developing economic cooperation in fields with integration potential.¹ …

Keywords: regional politics, regional governance, polycentrism, non-Western world, multipolarity, SCO, BRICS, RIC

IN TODAY’S world, marked by an unprecedented surge in geopolitical risks, there is a growing recognition that the old global order is giving way to a new paradigm aimed at establishing a polycentric system of global governance. …

Keywords: Russia, Africa, cooperation, priorities, neocolonial practices, French-speaking African countries, severance of relations, France’s destructive policy, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

IT GOES without saying that 21st-century changes to the world geopolitical landscape are making Africa a point of attraction for the great powers, including Russia. There are at least four reasons for this. First, African states comprise the largest regional group in the United Nations, accounting for 28% of all UN members. Second, Africa possesses vast reserves of all kinds of resources. Third, there are important sea trade routes passing near the continent, especially near East Africa. And fourth, Africa is home to the world’s fastest-growing young population, which by 2030 will make up about 42% of the world’s young people and is a key resource of labor. …

Keywords: Russia, Paraguay, culture and history of relations, Russian immigration, Chaco War

IN NOVEMBER 2016, the small North Ossetian city of Beslan, sadly remembered throughout the world as the site of a monstrous terrorist attack, was visited by unusual guests from the Republic of Paraguay. Governors of the Central Department and the Cordillera Department, B. Lansoni and C. Lopez, respectively; deputies of the legislative assemblies of these Paraguayan regions; as well as the mayor of the city of Guarambare, J. Vallejos, traveled to the Caucasus not out of idle curiosity [1]. The delegates from the distant South American country came with a special mission: to express their solidarity with the peoples of Russia, as well as to strengthen friendship and interregional cooperation between the two countries. While at the City of Angels memorial complex dedicated to the victims of the terrorist attack, Lopez said: “Everything that happened here has no explanation. The only thing we can do is to express our sympathy and say that we mourn with you.” These were not just polite platitudes. …

Keywords: A.S. Dzasokhov, anniversary, countries of Asia and Africa, Global South, East

ALEXANDER Dzasokhov has turned 90! The editors of International Affairs congratulate one of the most respected and honored diplomats, public figures, and policymakers in Russia on his birthday! …

In Memory of a Reliable, Faithful Friend and Devoted Comrade

Keywords: director of the Foreign Intelligence Service, knowledge of India, diplomat, multifaceted talent …

Keywords: Outstanding Soviet expert on America G.A. Trofimenko. Trofimenko’s book The USA: Politics, War, Ideology

FEBRUARY 1, 2024, would have been the 95th birthday of Professor and Doctor of Sciences (History) Genrikh [“Henry”] Aleksandrovich Trofimenko, an outstanding Soviet expert on America who in the 1980s led the department of foreign policy problems at the USSR Academy of Sciences’ Institute for US and Canadian Studies. His works remain classics in the study of US foreign policy and military-political strategy. Let me quote Russian International Affairs Council academic director Andrey Kortunov: “Trofimenko, of course, is a standout among the Institute’s older generation. He had a rare combination of talent as a writer and the highest standards of an academic, which made reading his work a true intellectual pleasure.” …

Keywords: history of Crimea, collection Crimea in the Development of Russia: History, Politics, Diplomacy – Documents from the Russian Foreign Ministry Archives

In his February 15, 2024, presentation of the second edition of the collection Crimea in the Development of Russia: History, Politics, Diplomacy – Documents from the Russian Foreign Ministry Archives, the Russian minister of foreign affairs noted that the first edition of the book came out in 2018. At the time, it aroused significant interest among readers and researchers, and brought the attention of the general public to everything to do with Crimea as an integral part of Russia. This prompted the Department of History and Records of the Russian Foreign Ministry to publish a new edition of the collection with expanded content. …