The conversation with Alikber Alikberov, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies, turned out to be incredibly interesting, rich and thorough. We touched on a wide range of topics, talking about current issues and reflecting on eternal ones. Why does today’s society need objective knowledge about the East? Why is it said that a good Orientalist, like an old cognac, starts to age after 50?

In early April 2024, Cairo hosted another round of ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip. However, observers note a lack of meaningful progress between the parties. The point is that the determined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is unwilling to make concessions on the release of Palestinian hostages before the ceasefire, seeing such a scenario as a defeat for Tel Aviv at the hands of Hamas. The Palestinians, on the other hand, have a diametrically opposed view. Despite the hopes of the mediators, represented by Egypt, Qatar and the United States, that there would be space between the positions of the opposing sides, no consensus has been reached…

One year ago, after ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol radically changed his focus and outlined a policy shift embracing Japanese partnership during a speech commemorating the 104th anniversary of the March First Independence Movement against Japanese colonial rule, this author began waiting to see how this important anniversary would play out this year. His premonitions did not fail him!

It should come as no surprise that Ukraine is stooping to use low intelligence troops in its military, and there are even allegations of them using those with DOWNs Syndrome. We also know how the US did the same thing during the Vietnam War—less the DOWNS recruits. As during the unpopular and illegal war in Vietnam, many of the clever ones are escaping the call-up to the military by paying bribes to get out of serving, or simply escaping the country…

From 15 to 17 April, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz led a delegation of three ministers and business representatives on a working visit to China. Since taking office as head of the German government in December 2021, this is his second visit to the leading power of the Asian continent, where the focus of all global processes is constantly shifting. This is a continuation of the tradition of regular contacts with the Chinese leadership established under his predecessor, Angela Merkel. Incidentally, of all Western politicians, she has always received the most praise in China…

I dare to assert here that the Russian Federation is indeed a major player on the world stage. Ignoring it or underestimating it in making decisions concerning the course of the world is a very serious error in geopolitical and geostrategic calculation. That is to say, a dangerous game that only the Western minority is playing to place humanity on the edge of the precipice…

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov recently told reporters that “No matter what else occurs regarding Ukraine, United States business and leadership put money in their pockets. While TASS news agency is not considered prime news for Westerners, it should be. It turns out the American leadership and militarists have no qualms about admitting the profitability of war in Ukraine.” Let’s run with a quote from Mr. Peskov via TASS…

Turkey demonstrating an active foreign policy aimed at raising its status from a regional state to a major power and leader of the Turkic world. Its diplomacy synthesizes several complementary doctrines: “neo-Ottomanism,” “neopanturanism,” “Turkish Eurasianism,” and “Turkish axis.” Ankara realizes that NATO membership guarantees its strategic safety against external threats from key anti-Western countries. At the same time, the Turkish political elite realizes that the West is particularly reluctant to see Turkey as a member of the European Union and will stretch the time of European integration. Ankara prefers, forcedly or by choice…

International outrage continues to grow after the United States unilaterally blocked a widely supported UN Security Council resolution that would have admitted the state of Palestine as a full member of the United Nations. The US was the only country to veto the resolution, while even its staunch allies Britain and Switzerland abstained and 12 of the 15 Security Council members voted in favour…

US President Joe Biden is all set to host Turkey’s Erdoğan in the White House on the 9^th of May. This visit is being seen by many as Biden’s attempt to woo an estranged NATO ally at a time when a) the US “war effort” against Russia in Ukraine has persistently failed to achieve desired results, i.e., a military defeat of Russia, and when Turkey is one leading country in the Middle East that has…

Today, everyone is waiting for high-profile events in the Middle East related to the unprecedented confrontation between Israel and Iran. The primary source of the conflict, Gaza, and its offshoots, the Houthis in the Red Sea and the collapse of global shipping, have been pushed into the background. On closer inspection, Iran and Israel have more in common than they do differences. Both are regional outsiders, both are sectarian and ethnic. Both Tel Aviv and Tehran have built their national strategies on the contradictions of their neighbours and on hidden reserves…

With the turn of the 21^st Century, the unipolar world order led by the United States is rapidly debilitating due to the rise of China and Russia as the new superpowers of the world. The role of middle powers has also surged in recent years in the international power structure. Russia and China are seen with much empathy within the developing world due to their inclusive outlook towards developing and underdeveloped nations…