Russia in the World of the 21st Century: Accomplishments and Hopes

The appearance of the article is inspired by the provisions of the new monograph ‘Russia’s Foreign Policy. 1991-2016’ ed. under supervision of and with Introduction by A.V. Torkunov. The authors of the article continue and further develop the book’s comprehensive analysis of main directions of Russia’s foreign policy. Stating the demise of the bipolar and the unitability of the unipolar world under the leadership of one country – the United States, the authors warn against euphoria over the current transition to a multi-polar world. They point out that manageability of the emerging world order is deteriorating and new threats to peace and security are arising while the traditional ones remain acute. At the same time, the possibilities for and level of coordination among states to counter these threats are decreasing. Of particular concern is that the political circles of certain countries oversimplify the problem of use of nuclear weapons and cultivate a false sense of confidence in their ability to control escalation in case of such use. The current state of arms control that remains in deadlock is also deeply troubling. Alongside with these developments, the world witnesses expanding influence and growing importance of Russia and China which to a large extent seek to revise the current global balance of power. On the territory of the former Soviet Union, newly independent states create international associations which are expected to eventually cooperate with their Western counterpart institutions. The current aggravation of relations between Russia and Western countries, especially between Moscow and Washington, seriously reduces the opportunities to consolidate the new world order and to enhance international security. However, Russia’s orientation solely on the East will weaken its competitive position in the world. The further escalation of confrontation does not serve the long-term interests of key global players.