🗣 On June 17, 2024, the Valdai Discussion Club held a discussion on the results of the 50th G7 summit and its significance in global politics.

📷 Photo gallery

🎥 Video

#Return_of_Diplomacy #G7

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🌎 The Group of Seven: Between Potential and Reality

On June 17, the Valdai Club hosted a discussion on the outcomes of the 50th G7 Summit and its significance in terms of global politics. Andrey Sushentsov, moderator of the event, invited participants to consider how developments in international relations are likely to unfold over the months ahead.

💬 Dimitri Simes, Channel One Presenter, Founder and ex-President of the Center for the National Interest (USA), briefly outlined the agenda for the G7 Summit. He emphasised that, at present, the West has the impression that a military victory for Ukraine is impossible, but rather than leading them to embrace a more flexible approach to negotiations with Russia, it has compelled them to address the inadequacy of aid provided to Ukraine. As a result, the G7 has decided to increase its support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia, and this decision has strategic significance.

💬 Wang Wen, Executive Dean and Professor at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies (RDCY) at Renmin University of China and Executive Director of the China-US People-to-People Exchange Research Center, expressed concern regarding the potential consequences of the G7’s leadership if it continues to remain in power. He noted that based on the events at the recent summit, the G7’s approach to global governance seems to be detrimental to humanity as a whole. Wang highlighted several issues within the domestic politics of the member countries, including a lack of inclusivity, support for hegemonic interests, hindrance of economic growth, and refusal to consider the interests of other nations.

💬 Radhika Desai, Professor at the Department of Political Studies and Director of the Geopolitical Economy Research Group at the University of Manitoba, stated that experts consider this meeting to be one of the weakest in recent years. Many of the participants were overly focused on their individual concerns. “If countries cannot establish rules for themselves, how can they expect to do so for the world?” she said. There is a significant difference between the potential and actuality, she added.

💬 Glenn Diesen, Professor at the University of South-Eastern Norway, argues that the Group of Seven is losing its significance and may no longer be representative of the global community. He sees any trends towards multipolarity as a threat to the G7’s position. The final statement of the summit expressed hegemonic tendencies, with the G7 countries seeing themselves as the “parents” of the rest of the world, who have the right to “teach” others how to live. In reality, however, the G7 has become simply one of many alliances, trying to maintain its outdated positions.

💬 Igor Istomin, Acting Head of the Department of Applied Analysis of International Problems at MGIMO University, described the current situation as extremely serious. He believes that the risks of a major conflict in Europe escalating into a global war are higher than they were at any point in the second half of the 20th century. Istomin described the West’s escalation of confrontation with Russia as a sign of its desperation. He also noted that the slide towards conflict is happening almost blindly, making the situation particularly dangerous. It appears that the summit participants do not see any alternative to confrontation.

https://valdaiclub.com/events/posts/articles/the-group-of-seven-between-potential-and-reality/

#Return_of_Diplomacy #G7

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📆 ANNOUNCEMENT: On June 27, at 11:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host a discussion on the confiscation of Russian assets abroad.

In April 2024, both houses of the US Congress passed The 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act, which allows the executive branch to seize Russian assets worth $4-5 billion. The total amount of frozen Russian sovereign assets across jurisdictions that have imposed sanctions is estimated to be $300 billion. Under the new law, Russian assets can only be unfrozen if the conflict in Ukraine ends and full compensation is made for Ukrainian material losses.

Russia did not hesitate to respond to the US bill. On 23 May 2024, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree “On a special procedure for compensating for damage caused to the Russian Federation and the Central Bank of Russia in connection with unfriendly actions by the United States.” According to the document, the Russian authorities may use both sovereign funds and funds from individuals to compensate for damages caused by the confiscation of Russian sovereign assets in the US.

❓How will the new powers of authorities in Russia and the United States affect bilateral relations?
❓To what extent are the assets in Russia and the US comparable?
❓What are the prospects for further mutual expansion of confiscation measures?
❓Which countries that have initiated anti-Russia sanctions can replicate the American experience?
❓And what might the consolidation of these economic barriers in production and trade result in?

Participants in this discussion will address these and other related questions.

Speakers:

🇷🇺 Dmitry Timofeev, Director of the Department for Control of External Restrictions of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation

🇨🇳 John Gong, Professor, Vice-President of Research and Strategy at the University of International Business and Economics – Israel; China Forum Expert

🇷🇺 Ekaterina Arapova, Director of the Center of Sanction Policy Expertise Institute for International Studies, Deputy Dean of the Department of International Relations, MGIMO University, Ph.D. in Economics

Moderator:

🗣 Ivan Timofeev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club

https://valdaiclub.com/events/announcements/valdai-club-to-discuss-confiscation-of-russian-assets-abroad/

Working languages: English, Russian.

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), VK, Telegram and Dzen. 

#Multipolarity_and_Connectivity #sanctions #RussianAssets

📆 ANNOUNCEMENT: On June 28, at 11:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host a discussion on the presidential elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the potential for the development of Iranian-Russian relations.

The internal political situation in Iran has traditionally aroused considerable interest in Russia, as this country is associated with several international projects that are priorities for Moscow, including the development of the North-South transport and logistics corridors, military-technical cooperation, efforts towards stability in the Middle East, and the peaceful resolution of inter-state conflicts in South Caucasus.

Iran is currently one of the major players in the global stage, consistently pursuing a sovereign foreign policy in the Middle East and maintaining relations with major world powers. Furthermore, in recent years, Iran has actively expanded its participation in new international frameworks, joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2022 and BRICS in January 2024.

❓What are the current political and economic circumstances in Iran, and what could be the outcomes of the upcoming presidential election on June 28?
❓What are some of the key achievements and future prospects for relations between Iran and Russia?
❓How could the election results impact the development of Russia-Iran cooperation?

These and other questions will be discussed by participants.

🎙️ Speakers:

🇷🇺 Vitaly Naumkin, Full Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Doctor of Historical Sciences; Professor; Academic Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences

🇮🇷 Kayhan Barzegar, Head of the Department of Political Science and International Relations, Research Unit of the Islamic Azad University (Iran)

🇷🇺 Alexander Maryasov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Thailand and Permanent Representative to ESCAP (2010-2014), Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to Iran (2001-2005)

Moderator:

🗣 Timofei Bordachev, Programme Director of the Valdai Discussion Club

https://valdaiclub.com/events/announcements/valdai-club-to-discuss-the-presidential-elections-in-iran/

Working languages: English, Russian.

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), VK, Telegram and Dzen. 

#WiderEurasia #Iran

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🗣 Dear friends, this is a reminder that this week, Valdai Discussion Club will hold the following events:

📆 On June 27, at 11:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host a discussion on the confiscation of Russian assets abroad. Watch the live broadcast of the discussion on the website.

📆 On June 28, at 11:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host a discussion on the presidential elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the potential for the development of Iranian-Russian relations. Watch the live broadcast via this link.

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🎥 LIVE: at 11:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), we are starting a discussion on the confiscation of Russian assets abroad.

https://vk.com/video-214192832_456239197

#Multipolarity_and_Connectivity #sanctions #RussianAssets

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🗣 On June 27, 2024, the Valdai Discussion Club held a discussion on the confiscation of Russian assets abroad.

📷 Photo gallery

🎥 Video

#Multipolarity_and_Connectivity #sanctions #RussianAssets

🗣🗣🗣

📆 TOMORROW, June 28, at 11:00 Moscow Time (GMT+3), the Valdai Club will host a discussion on the presidential elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran and the potential for the development of Iranian-Russian relations.

❓What are the current political and economic circumstances in Iran, and what could be the outcomes of the upcoming presidential election on June 28?
❓What are some of the key achievements and future prospects for relations between Iran and Russia?
❓How could the election results impact the development of Russia-Iran cooperation?

These and other questions will be discussed by participants.

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), VK, Telegram and Dzen. 

#WiderEurasia #Iran

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