The author, program director of the Valdai Club, writes:

• “One of the characteristic features of this ‘pre-February 24’ world order was the dialectical struggle between the Western center of power and the major non-Western powers that sought to challenge it. … From our point of view, the concept of the multipolar world has not worked in the current situation. Only cautious phrases — calling for all that is good and against all that is bad are heard from the non-Western poles (except for Russia itself, of course).”
• “Perhaps most importantly, the case of Russia has made all other non-Western countries with revisionist political ambitions ask themselves the following question: Should they follow the path of Russia in order to achieve their goals? Or should we choose other ways to advance our ambitions? Or is it better to abandon these ways altogether, and instead become that - a ‘normal country’ — in the Western sense of that word?”

This item is part of Russia Matters’ “Clues from Russian Views” series, in which we share what newsmakers in/from Russia are saying on Russia-related issues that impact key U.S. national interests so that RM readers can glean clues about their thinking.

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