How does Putin’s system function in Russia, how does it influence Europe and what can Europe do about it? The theme of the Center for Liberal Modernity’s first major conference last Tuesday in Berlin was not chosen by accident: The Center was set up in November as a think tank directed against growing populist and anti-liberal tendencies in Europe, a trend that many have linked to Russia, where President Vladimir Putin was re-elected for a fourth term on Sunday.
Conference Report The Putin System and the Kremlin’s influence in Europe / Berlin, March 13 Written by Nikolaus von Twickel, edited by Ralf Fuecks
How does Putin’s system function in Russia, how does it influence Europe and what can Europe do about it? The theme of the Center for Liberal Modernity’s first major conference last Tuesday in Berlin was not chosen by accident: The Center was set up in November as a think tank directed against growing populist and anti-liberal tendencies in Europe, a trend that many have linked to Russia, where President Vladimir Putin was re-elected for a fourth term on Sunday.
The conference’s aim was to understand the political and economic aspects of the Putin System and to raise awareness about the real nature of the regime. Another aim was to discuss realistic policy options for the West: “There is this timid, undecided feeling in western capitals – they do not look because they are afraid of what they might see” – the Center’s co-founder Marieluise Beck said in her opening remarks. Ralf Fuecks, its director, explained that the Center would deal with antiliberal challenges from within and outside. Russia is no longer an external power but an effective political actor inside Europe. (more…)
18.01.2017, Vienna. Prof. Dr. Evgeny GONTMAKHER, member of the Moscow-based “European Dialogue” Expert Group, spoke about the Russian Crisis and the reforms the Russian Federation would need in order to be sustainable in the long run.
Fr. Federal Chancellor Dr. Wolfgang SCHÜSSEL, President of UNA-AUSTRIA, moderated the event.
The "European Dialogue" and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung have begun the implementation of the project "Right and left populism in Russia and in the world: challenges and options of response" aimed for 2017.
Experts from Russia, Germany, USA and Spain took part in the introductory expert session and round table held recently in the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Moscow regional office. Based on current political realities, they have started analyzing current transformation process of the political landscape in the European countries, growth of the influence of the right and left populism – in general and specifically for different countries, identifying essential mechanisms of these processes, challenges caused by them to traditional systematic political movements, that are related to different parts of political spectrum.
The Program provides for a series of joint researches and activities in Russia and Europe, that will result in the publication of international analytical report in autumn 2017
Coordinating Board of the “European Dialogue” Expert group has approved indicative working program for 2017,
the program aimed at thorough and constructive international expert discussion of the complete set of the problems of transitional societies, new tendencies in the democracy development, of strengthening of the role of the civil society and forming of the global civicism, evolution of society and the human in the coming “forth industrial revolution”, perspectives of a new social policy, new architecture of global and European security.
The Program provides for a close collaboration between Russian expert society and foreign colleagues from the European countries, USA, China, India and other countries, competent international organizations.
Julius Freitag-Loringhoven, our "special correspondent" in Brussels broadcasting live from Boris Nemtsov Forum: "Great discussion in the European Parliament as second part of Boris Nemtsov Forum with Zhanna Nemtsova, Irina Prokhorova, Лев Шлосберг and very clear opening remarks of Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger who highlighted that EU policy regarding Russia should be driven by the Helsinki principles of 1) solid security and parallel trustbuilding measures 2) cooperation where possible, namely in economic and scientific areas and 3) make all also dependent on the humanitarian dimension dealing with human rights and civil society".
12.11.2016, NYC. Tatiana Parkhalina, the President of Association for Euro-Atlantic Integration, the member of the “European Dialogue” Coordinating Board, made a report “Russia and the West in the context of the Ukrainian crisis” at the Russian-US conference organized by the Harriman Institute at Columbia University with collaboration of MGIMO and IMEMO.
National policies and international systems, institutional and economic aspects of Eurasia development, international security and disarmament – these were the key topics for bilateral expert discussion and analysis.
At the end of this trip to the States Tatiana Parkhalina attended the UN General Assembly session devoted to the UN Security Council reform.
October 7-9, 2016, Berlin. Members of the “European Dialogue” participated in the “Civil Society for conflict resolution in Donbass”, the International working forum that was held in Berlin to launch an international civil society coalition for resolving military conflict in Eastern Ukraine. The representatives of civil society institutions from Germany, Poland, Ukraine and Russia agreed on issuing in the nearest days a joint resolution appealing to the OSCE Council of Ministers meeting to take additional efforts for stopping the conflict in the Eastern Ukraine. The "European Dialogue" experts following the developments in that part of Europe were on board.
October 29-30, 2016, Almaty. The International conference “Wider Eurasia: dynamics of political and social process” took place in the capital of Kazakhstan. More than 100 experts from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia in the event organized by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung of Germany and the Central Asia Research Center of Kazakhstan. Russia was represented Nikolay Petrov and Vladimir Ryzhkov, members of the Moscow-based “European Dialogue” Expert Group. The Russian experts delivered reports on “State, Society and Religion on the post-soviet space” and “Anti-liberal ideologies and trends on the Eurasian space” and were deeply involved in a series of discussions on future positive agenda for Wider Eurasia development.
On October 26 the round table “Russia in Europe: current agenda” took place at the Sakharov Center in Moscow. It is the first event held by the “European Dialogue” Expert Group. The Group was formed in 2016 to stimulate a discussion on the global and intergovernmental issues faced by “Greater Europe”, and to engage the Russian expert community and civil society into an active dialogue.
The Group currently consists of more than 100 experts and civil society activists who share European values and principles, stand for abandoning the confrontational approach as soon as possible and returning to the compliance with the norms and principles of international law, who believe that a permanent dialogue is needed on the current global and intergovernmental issues, as well as those related to the countries’ internal development.
The Group’s presentation started with three impulse-reports – “Russian internal policy: progress versus degradation” by Evgeny Gontmakher, “The Russian constitutional choice: East or West?” by Elena Lukyanova, and “Russia and Europe: together or separately in constructing the European security system” by Tatiana Parkhalina.
The reports were met with great interest and brought the guests into a further discussion. The participants of the round table included experts in political science, history, economics, sociology, political geography and law, civic leaders, journalists from Russian and foreign media, representatives of foreign foundations, think tanks and the Delegation of the European Union to Russia, - such as Sergey Tsyplyaev, President at “Respublica” Foundation; Lev Gudkov, Director at Y. Levada Analytical Center (Levada-Center); Yulia Galyamina, civic leader; Anatoly Golubovsky, Vice-president at “Education in the Third Millennium” Foundation; Igor Yurgens, Chair of the Board at Institute of Contemporary Development (INSOR); Johannes Voswinkel, Regional Director at Heinrich Böll Foundation Moscow office; Vasily Zharkov, Institute of Social Sciences, RANEPA (RANHiGS); Dmitry Gudkov, politician; Konstantin Eggert, publicist and presenter at “Dozhd” TV channel; Andrey Arkhangelsky, Editor at “Ogonyok” journal; Andrey Kolesnikov, journalist; Sergey Kulik, Director of INSOR projects on international development issues; Vladimir Ryzhkov, politician; Magdalena Grono, International Crisis Group; Ekaterina Shulman, political analyst, and many others.
During the three-hour discussion the participants touched upon such topics as global development trends, problems faced by societies in transition, global and European security issues, the perspectives of Russia’s European future, and other issues that are currently in the spotlight of the Russian intellectual community.
The Group’s presentation and round table were followed by the meeting between the members of the “European Dialogue” Coordinating Board and the European Union Ambassador to the Russian Federation Vygaudas Ušackas. During the long conversation, which went in a friendly and open manner, the participants discussed the possibilities and format of the “European Dialogue” experts’ participation in implementing the “EU policy and outreach partnership” program. The consultations will be continued in the very near future.
The event was televised live by “Svoboda” radio station.
We shall also make a video report about the event in the coming days – it will be available on our website and Facebook page.
Dear colleagues and friends, stay tuned for more updates!
Evgeny Gontmakher, member of the "European Dialogue" Expert Group, participated in several events held on the 19-20 of October in Poznan, Poland, in the framework of "A new narrative" program. In particular he made a report on the international conference "Is a new narrative about Russia possible in Poland?", delivered an open lecture "Does Russia have a European future?" in Poznan Adam Mitskevich University and took part at the city debates "Russia - Europe: Dialogue (im)possible".
18.01.2017, Vienna. Prof. Dr. Evgeny GONTMAKHER, member of the Moscow-based “European Dialogue” Expert Group, spoke about the Russian Crisis and the reforms the Russian Federation would need in order to be sustainable in the long run.
