🕯️ The Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club expresses its condolences to the families and friends of victims of the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall.

Dozens of people were killed in the attack, many more left injured. The heinous act of terror was designed to intimidate and divide the Russian people. But Russia has always been at the forefront of the combat against terrorism, fighting those who perpetuate hatred and sow fear.

We extend our condolences to all those who lost their loved ones in the attack and wish those injured a speedy recovery.

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🌐 Despite the ongoing discussion about the declining role of the state in international relations, the importance of diplomacy has never been questioned in research papers.

▪️ The founder of classical realism, Hans Morgenthau, described diplomacy as the core element of power and a way of converting all types of public resources into influence.

▪️ A well-known theorist of international relations, Adam Watson, saw diplomacy as a tool of interaction between independent states that exist in a common international environment and as a means of protecting the internal environment of states from external impulses.

▪️ Norwegian researcher Iver Neumann identified three main profiles in forming the diplomat’s professional qualities: “a bureaucrat,” “a hero,” and “a mediator.”

The study of diplomatic practices is crucial as the international order transitions from hegemony to polycentricity, intensifying rivalry between states.

A new Valdai Club report “Crafting National Interests: How Diplomatic Training Impacts Sovereignty” represents a preliminary exploration of the training of international analysts and diplomatic personnel worldwide, conducted by MGIMO University.

The contributors assert that the quality of diplomatic training holds significant importance in enabling nation-states to attain autonomy and agency in the evolving polycentric world order.

https://valdaiclub.com/a/reports/crafting-national-interests-diplomatic-training/

⏰ The presentation of the report will take place today, at 16:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3). Watch the live broadcast on our website.

#Return_of_Diplomacy #valdai_report #diplomacy

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⏰ TODAY at 16:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will present a new report titled “Crafting National Interests: How Diplomatic Training Impacts Sovereignty”

❓To what extent are Western countries prepared to end the “strategic vacation” and return to competition?
❓What traditions of training diplomats have the World Majority states acquired during the post-colonial period?

Participants in the discussion will try to answer these and other questions.

Links to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, X (formerly Twitter), VKontakte, Telegram and Dzen.

#Return_of_Diplomacy #diplomacy #valdai_report

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🎥 LIVE: at 16:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will present a new report titled “Crafting National Interests: How Diplomatic Training Impacts Sovereignty”

https://vk.com/video-214192832_456239182

#Return_of_Diplomacy #diplomacy #valdai_report

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🗣 On March, 28, 2024, the Valdai Club presented a new report titled “Crafting National Interests: How Diplomatic Training Impacts Sovereignty”

📷 Photo gallery

🎥 If you missed the live broadcast of the discussion, watch the video via this link.

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🇺🇸 In the wake of his success in the South Carolina primaries, Trump's victory in the fight for the Republican nomination is almost guaranteed.

Now he must concentrate a significant portion of his campaign resources on fighting Biden. His choice for the post of vice president will have strategic significance. This is due to several reasons.

1️⃣ First, it is important for the American voter to know that the position of head of state will be in good hands if the president is unable to perform his duties. The reasons can be different, from ordinary surgery to death. Let’s not forget that by election day, Trump will already be 78 years old and no matter how anyone talks about his activity or vigour, age is taking its toll, and voters have noticed it.

2️⃣ Second, the majority of Americans do not want to see either Trump or Biden as a presidential candidate. Some voters, including some Republicans, are planning to sit out the 2024 elections altogether. While it is more important for Republicans, especially Trump, to win in certain parts of some states than by the total number of popular votes, this still creates some difficulties on his way to victory. Wooing ‘MAGA’ voters won't be enough for him.

3️⃣ Third, one of the main arguments of the Democrats against Trump remains the assertion that he is uncontrollable and prone to authoritarianism. While checks and balances have always been enough to rein in controversial US presidents, including Trump himself from 2017 to 2021, some voters fear for the state of democracy.

4️⃣ Fourth, Trump has a chance to use the choice of vice president to gain additional political “points.” This is a conditional advantage only because four years later, Biden is unlikely to be able to surprise anyone with Kamala Harris.

Despite Trump's apparent superiority over Biden, the former president will have a difficult time winning in November, writes Roman Romanov, Ph.D. fellow at the Russian State University for the Humanities.

https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/trump-s-path-to-victory-a-priority-electorate/

#GlobalAlternatives #Trump

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🇪🇺 The European Union’s Green Deal must be criticised for three reasons:

▪️ it is dogmatic, because it does not provide for alternative scenarios;

▪️ it is economically highly problematic, because it burdens industry in Europe with costs and uncertainties and therefore restricts its international competitiveness;

▪️ it is technologically immature and unrealistic: neither the market-ready technologies nor the financial means to implement the Commission’s goal of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050 are available.

Pursued under the concept of the Green Deal, the energy transition has been one of the strongest and most damaging factors influencing the economy of the Federal Republic of Germany, and therefore the economy of Europe. This policy is primarily being pursued by Ursula von der Leyen’s European Commission and Olaf Scholz’s cabinet.

Any measure that hinders the supply of affordable energy to Europe, such as the continuation of sanctions or a premature withdrawal from long-term gas supply contracts, will cause massive damage to the European economy and set the EU back by years, if not decades, Ulrike Reisner writes.

https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/the-dark-side-of-brussels-energy-policy-the-green/

🖇️ Earlier this year, we published the first and the second part of this analysis.

#GlobalAlternatives #EU #energy

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🌊 The resumption of the Arab-Israeli conflict on October 7, 2023 represented a new turning point in the impact of technological capabilities on the interdiction of commercial maritime traffic, which happened despite a high-profile international military coalition.

This new type of blockade, which brought together the tactical capabilities of state and non-state actors, began on November 19 after the Yemeni army insisted that the Israeli authorities cease fire in Gaza. It began with a Hollywood-style seizure of the British vessel Galaxy Leader on the high seas, thanks to a combined Yemeni naval and helicopter force.

This is not the first time that Houthi military actions have had a global geopolitical impact. Although rural in origin, this movement has demonstrated a global understanding of economic and strategic issues, striking Saudi oil installations throughout the war, pitting them against the coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

This reached a climax in 2019 with the strategic bombing of the Khurais and Abqaiq oil sites, which account for 7% of the world’s crude oil production.

On February 25, the Israeli press reported that four undersea communications cables between Saudi Arabia and Djibouti had been put out of commission by alleged Houthi attacks.

According to the Israeli newspaper Globes, this sabotage has caused serious disruption to communications between Europe and Asia, particularly the Gulf States and India.

This sabotage proves two things: firstly, that submarine attacks are within the reach of small armies with no navy. Secondly, that Western armies are completely incapable of waging a war underwater to prevent, detect and counter this threat, writes Akram Kharief.

https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/maritime-interdiction-a-new-global-geopolitical/

#Return_of_Diplomacy #Yemen #Houthi #RedSea

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🛡️ The question of the European security system has boiled down to its hard realist basis: where will the line between Russia and NATO be drawn?

Europe, like the rest of the collective West, believes that this line should run along the eastern border of the former Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, and Russia – along its western border. 

In the spring of 2024, we can confidently say that the West has been unable to defeat Russia as it wanted and now it is concerned with ensuring that Russia “does not win.” So, in the future, for years, if not decades to come, security in Europe will be determined by the balance of power along the line of contact between Russia and NATO.

Russia will do everything to maintain this balance for its part, writes Nikolai Silaev, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Caucasus Problems and Regional Security, MGIMO University.

https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/the-guns-are-heard-better/

📍 This article continues the discussion of the prospects for European security on our website.

#Multipolarity_and_Connectivity #EuropeanSecurity

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📆 ANNOUNCEMENT: On April 10 at 14:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host an expert discussion dedicated to international information security.

At a recent seminar, Elon Musk, one of the founders of OpenAI, expressed concern about the potential for artificial intelligence to run out of control and cause the end of the world. He estimated the likelihood of this scenario to be between 10% and 20%.

Despite these gloomy predictions, Russia has continued its efforts to include provisions in the UN Convention on International Cybersecurity to combat the use of AI for terrorism and to boost the information technology capacity of developing countries, including with respect to AI. To date, the most significant achievement in strengthening the international security system has been the joint resolution between Russia and the United States, within the framework of the UN General Assembly, on the responsible behaviour of states in cyberspace. This resolution was an important step towards creating a more secure and stable digital environment.

❓The participants in the discussion will explore the prospects for international cooperation in the information space, as well as the potential impact of AI on cybersecurity.
❓They will also discuss the challenges faced by developing countries in terms of inequality in access to information technology.

🎙️ Speakers:

🇷🇺 Igor Ashmanov, President of Kribrum JSC, member of the Russian Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights

🇷🇺 Artur Lyukmanov, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cooperation in the Field of Information Security, Director of the Department of International Information Security of the MFA of Russia

🇷🇺 Ilya Semerikov, head of the scientific group of the Russian Quantum Centre

🇨🇳 Shen Yi, Director of the Research Centre for the Governance of Global Cyberspace, Fudan University (China)

Moderator:

🗣 Andrey Bystritskiy, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai Discussion Club

https://valdaiclub.com/events/announcements/valdai-club-to-discuss-global-cybersecurity/

Working languages: Russian, English.

ℹ️ Information for the media: Dear journalists, to be accredited for the event, please fill out the form on our website. If you have any questions about the event, call +79269307763. 

Links to the live broadcast of the discussion will be posted on all online platforms of the Valdai Club: on the website, X (formerly Twitter), VKontakte, Telegram and Dzen. 

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