The aftermath of a Ukrainian attack on Belgorod, Russia, in May The United States’ proxy war with Russia is at another inflection point. The battleground is shifting dramatically to Russian territory — something without precedent even in the Cold War. How this pans out will be a momentous event in 21st century politics. …
The ‘inside track’ of Putin-Xi Jinping talks
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (C) addressing the Council for Foreign and Defence Policy, Moscow, May 18, 2024 In international diplomacy, summit meetings stand apart from regular high-level meetings when they are held at key moments or important junctures to reinforce partnerships and/or launch major initiatives. The summit meeting at Beijing last Thursday between Chinese President …
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Sino-Russian entente shifts the tectonic plates of world politics
The state visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to China underscored that the two superpowers’ choice of entente-type alignment has gained traction. It falls short of explicit military obligations of support and yet will not entirely rule out military support either. By embracing a form of strategic ambiguity, it provides them the optimal means to …
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Putin resets compass for voyage ahead
Russian Foreign Ministry, Smolensky Square, Moscow For the historic occasion at the hallowed St Andrew’s Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, as Russia is poised at a tumultuous juncture of sculpturing and moulding its tryst with destiny, President Vladimir Putin made a remarkably brief speech at the inaugural ceremony held on May 7. There was …
Countdown begins for Russia’s Ukraine offensive
A surprise inspection of Russia’s non-strategic nuclear weapons carriers has begun in Belarus, May 7, 2024 A study by the Harvard Business School in experimental psychology relating to people’s tendency to “shoot the messenger” came up with a startling finding that such human behaviour stems in part from a desire to make sense of chance …
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US, Russia lock horns in Niger
The US drone base ‘Base Aerienne 201’ in Agadez, Niger Such a thing never happened in the past one hundred years since the United States stepped out of the Western Hemisphere as an imperial power — an adversary barging into one of its military bases abroad. A military base is deemed sovereign territory and an …