Latest news with #Surkov
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
"Novorossiya" ideologist claims Russia has no borders and will expand in all directions
Vladislav Surkov, former adviser to Kremlin ruler Putin and chief ideologist of the "Novorossiya" project, which aims to annex southeastern Ukraine and Crimea, has stated that the ideology of the Russian World (Russkiy Mir) "has no borders", meaning Russia will continue to expand its influence in all directions. Source: ISW Details: Surkov, known as the ideologist behind the "Novorossiya" project, voiced Russia's expanded imperial ambitions in an interview with the French weekly L'Express. He claimed that the ideology of the Russian world "has no borders" and exists "everywhere there is Russian influence". Surkov also stated that Russia would achieve this strategic goal, which he claimed had remained unchanged since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, despite potential "manoeuvres, slowdowns and pauses" along the way. Surkov said that bringing Ukraine back into Russia's sphere of influence had been an objective since the collapse of the Soviet Union, referring to Ukraine as an "artificial political entity". Surkov believes that the Russo-Ukrainian war will "separate the Russians and the anti-Russians" and "confine" the latter within their "historical territory" so they "stop spreading across Russian soil". When asked about Russia's borders, Surkov claimed that the ideology of the Russian World has no limits and exists "everywhere there is Russian influence" – be it cultural, military, economic, ideological or humanitarian. He stated that Russia "will spread out in all directions". Analysts emphasise that the Kremlin has repeatedly used the concept of the Russian World to justify military interventions in former Soviet republics, arguing that the territories of the former USSR and Russian Empire are historically Russian lands. Quote: "The Kremlin has used the 'Russkiy Mir' narrative for decades to justify Russian aggression in Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova and to set conditions to influence independent countries once colonised by the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire. Putin and other senior Russian officials have repeatedly propagated pseudo-history to deny Ukrainian statehood and nationhood and have falsely asserted that Ukraine's Western neighbours have legitimate claims to Ukrainian territory in an effort to sow division between Ukraine and Europe." To quote the ISW's Key Takeaways on 22 March: US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff uncritically amplified a number of Russian demands, claims and justifications regarding the war in Ukraine during an interview on 21 March. Vladislav Surkov, a former close adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, recently reiterated a number of longstanding Kremlin claims and ambitions that directly contradict Witkoff's assertions in an interview with French media aimed at Western audiences. [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Putin as president – ed.] Surkov's statements are consistent with those made by Putin and senior Russian officials, who have recently and repeatedly stated that Russia intends to bring Ukraine under Russian control and establish suzerainty over neighbouring countries in order to weaken the West and strengthen Russia's global influence. Witkoff uncritically repeated several inaccurate Russian claims regarding the status of the Ukrainian territories that Russia illegally occupies. Witkoff's statements undermine US President Donald Trump's stated desired end state for the war in Ukraine that achieves an enduring peace and is in the best interests of the United States, Ukraine and Europe. Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Pokrovsk, and Russian forces recently advanced near Siversk and Pokrovsk and in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The Kremlin continues to innovate new ways to leverage conscripts to increase the pool of servicemembers eligible for military service in the future. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Rudaw Net
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Russia ‘not withdrawing' from Middle East after losing ally Assad: Analyst
Also in World UN welcomes Ocalan's call on the PKK to disarm, disband Germany welcomes Ocalan's call for the PKK to lay down arms, disband Sudani and Rubio discuss Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline, security challenges Rudaw presents 2025 Shifa Gardi Award to British-Iranian journalist Leila Molana-Allen A+ A- ERBIlL, Kurdistan Region - Russia will deepen its engagement in the Middle East despite losing its Syrian ally Bashar al-Assad, experts said at the Erbil Forum 2025 on Friday. "We lost one ally - Syria - but we have other partners," said Nikolay Surkov, a senior research fellow at the Institute of World Economy and International Affairs, emphasizing Russia's pragmatic approach to regional diplomacy in a panel on Russia's presence in the Middle East in the middle of global transformations. "We are not withdrawing," he said, confirming Russia's intent to maintain a long-term presence in the region amid speculations of alliance shifting after the fall of Assad. With regards to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reported plans to redraw the region in collaboration with the United States, Surkov said that Russia prioritizes the status quo, opposes destabilization, and supports national governments against extremism. He acknowledged Moscow's engagement with the Taliban, but said that certain "benchmarks," such as forming an inclusive government, respecting minorities, and combating terrorism, must be met, referring to the possibility of establishing diplomatic relations with the new authority in Damascus. He underscored Russia's commitment to a multipolar world, and said Moscow is increasingly focused on strengthening ties with the Global South and the East. Dr. Jahangir Karami, an expert on Russia and a professor of international relations at the University of Tehran, said that 'A new regional system is unfolding in the Middle East following the conclusion of the Syrian civil war.' The Middle East, now more than at any other time, is tilting towards multipolarity, according to Karami. Surkov explained that "Russia tries to build new economic and political alignments," highlighting strategic partnerships with Egypt, Algeria, and the United Arab Emirates. Despite global rivalries, he asserted that pressing global challenges, including strategic stability, pandemics, food security, and climate change, necessitate broad international cooperation. Surkov dismissed the notion of geopolitical competition in the Middle East, stating that Russia seeks "multidimensional ties" and desires to see the region "prosperous, stable, and safe." He positioned Russia and Arab states as allies in the broader struggle to fix global imbalances. The panelists also addressed Russia's internal vulnerabilities. "Russia has a huge Muslim population that is vulnerable to extremism," Surkov warned, reinforcing the need for stability in the Middle East. "Any destabilization of the region will result in crises that will reverberate globally." Addressing Russia's approach to the Kurdish issue, Ambassador Aleksander Aksenenok, vice president of the Russian International Affairs Council, said that Moscow has consistently advocated for Kurdish minority rights within the framework of international law. "Russia never betrayed Kurdish aspirations for autonomy," he said, clarifying that while Moscow does not support secession, it has explored different models of governance for Kurdish communities.
