The Mosaic nature of Sino-European relations remains complex
The use of the word “mosaic” in the comprehensive description of Sino-European interactions precludes an illustrative and simplistic (“explained via hand gestures”) interpretation. The phrase “remains complex” indicates that there is no current effort toward “simplification” of this statement. All of the aforementioned factors, which frequently contradict one another, remain in Europeans’ dealings with the Second World Power. These factors were validated in a number of subsequent events, which it makes…
Will the Seas Soon Be Ruled by a BRICS Naval Contingent?
In the run-up to the 15th BRICS summit in South Africa, the Chief of the South African Navy, Vice Admiral Monde Lobese, told a gathering of BRICS naval brass of his country’s excitement over the current reshaping of the geopolitical landscape. Visiting Russia’s annual Navy Day parade in St. Petersburg, Admiral Lobese joined heads of state from the Republic of Congo, Mali, Eritrea, and Burkina Faso, who had just attended the Russia-Africa Summit last month. The parade, attended by 33 ships, four submarines, eight sailing vessels, and over 3,000 military personnel…
The Russia-Africa summit is a confident step towards a multipolar world
Nearly 50 African nations participated in the Second Summit Russia-Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum in St. Petersburg, which shook the foundations of the antiquated society the West had built for itself. Only five African countries did not attend the summit in Russia on July 27–28 for various reasons, while about 20 heads of state and government were there. Moscow, which pompously hosted this productive event, stated that the large turnout “confirms [Africans’] desire to strengthen ties with our country…
Yoon Suk-yeol's East European tour. Part Three. Visit to Kiev
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol paid an unexpected visit to Ukraine on July 15, 2023, following a three-day official visit to Poland that we previously discussed. Yoon has consistently indicated throughout his diplomatic tours in recent months that this is a strong indication of his support for Ukraine and his condemnation of Russia. Additionally, it shows Seoul’s significant interest in Kiev’s post-war reconstruction initiatives, which will necessitate huge cash investments. There was a hint of curiosity about the unexpected visit. On the eve of ROK President Yoon Suk-yeol’s…
Yoon Suk-yeol’s Eastern European Tour. Part Two. The Warsaw Summit
We continue our series on the South Korean president’s trip to Eastern Europe. After concluding his visit to Vilnius for the NATO summit on July 12, Yoon proceeded to Warsaw for a three-day official visit, the first in 14 years since former president Lee Myung-bak. The President was also accompanied by a business delegation of 89 people. On July 12, in an article for the Polish daily newspaper Rzeczpospolita, Yoon Suk-yeol announced that South Korea would continue to support Ukraine through close cooperation with Poland, as “the partnership between South Korea and Poland extends…
Yoon Suk-yeol’s Eastern European Tour. Part One. President of the Republic of Korea at the NATO summit
On July 17, 2023, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol returned home after completing an eight-day overseas trip that took him to Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine. President Moon Jae-in of South Korea attended the NATO summit in Vilnius, where he “stressed Seoul’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the military alliance through a new special partnership program and the ROK’s participation in the military information sharing system with NATO member states.” Yoon Suk-yeol next traveled to Warsaw…
Australia and the USA held a 2+2 meeting
On July 29, Australia’s third-most populous city, Brisbane, located on the eastern Pacific, “The Pacific,” is worth noting. More on this below-coast of the country-continent, which hosted a notable event in the political space of the Indo-Pacific region. In particular, we will talk about the next meeting of the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations Committee, AUSMIN. The method of communication between two countries on a platform where foreign and defense ministers meet is commonly referred…
Whether Russia needs a “peace treaty” with Japan
In June of this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law according to which the victory over militaristic Japan will be commemorated in Russia on September 3. The State Duma passed the law, the Federation Council approved it. The newspapers of the Land of the Rising Sun wrote lengthy stories in which the alleged territorial problem in some way reappeared because of this fact, which significantly hurt the Japanese ego. The Kishida administration chose a stance antagonistic to Moscow and backed anti-Russian sanctions in order…
Some comments on the Russian Defense Minister’s visit to North Korea
July 27, 2023, was the 70th anniversary of the official end of the Korean War. In the DPRK this date is widely celebrated, and this year one of the main events in the ceremonies was the arrival of a Russian delegation, led by Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu. On July 25, the DPRK’s official press agency, KCNA reported: “At the invitation of the Ministry of National Defense of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), a military delegation of the Russian Federation led by Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu…
Israel and Its Doctrine of Strategic Depth
Israel is a small country and is ranked 46th in the world in terms of land area. Since Israel’s creation in 1948 at the tragic expense of the Palestinians, the state has been worried about its lack of strategic depth as well as its antagonistic Arab neighbors. Its internationally recognized borders leave it just 137 kms across its widest and 14 kms at its narrowest points. Moreover, Israel’s population is small and it relies on reservists as their on-ground combatants juxtaposed to Arab countries and their historically large standing armies. To make things worse, Israel’s…
Russia and Iran are shaping a new reality in the Middle East
The Middle East continues to be one of the most important strategic areas in the globe, drawing the attention of the major powers in the world due to its geographic significance and a number of internal inconsistencies. Although, of course, not all of the nations in the region have an adequate supply of these kinds of strategic raw materials, the terms “Middle East” and “rich in oil and gas” are sometimes seen as interchangeable. The majority of the world’s oil reserves, or around 66.5%, are in Middle Eastern nations like Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and Kuwait, each of which has proven oil reserves above 100 billion barrels. In other words…
With Friends Like These...
According to Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov, relations between Russia and Turkey are multi-faceted nowadays. This definition’s meaning is obviously self-evident. Over the last two decades, many in Moscow started to think, for some reason, that Russia had acquired a new almost strategic partner in the form of NATO’S Turkey that was more than loyal to Russia and interested in the growth of reciprocal relations and the creation of a multipolar world due to its charismatic leader, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. As a result, according to many Russian political analysts and specialists, Turkey will adopt a foreign policy more independent of US…