FT columnist Philip Stephens is right to draw attention to Russia’s new National Security Strategy (“The brittle façade of Putin’s Russia”, July 16), but in his rush to condemn it as merely a smokescreen for Putin’s power, he misses its main point. Moscow has finally given up seeking détente with the United States and the EU and is instead pivoting to Asia and the Pacific. This is hardly surprising after years of western sanctions, accusations that Russia is a rogue state, and the character assassination of its President.
But while Moscow does feel besieged by the west, the document in question is not all gloom and doom.
Russia remains committed to a unified international order based on legal norms and respectful, trust-based relations between states. It wants to strengthen international institutions, especially the United Nations Security Council, as the foundation of global order.
It wishes to reduce the threat of war, curtail arms races and stabilise strategic nuclear relations. Politics, diplomacy and peacekeeping are Russia’s preferred foreign policy instruments as it seeks to cooperate with other states on nuclear proliferation, climate change, migration, health threats and counter-terrorism.
“Nationalist autocrats need enemies abroad to justify political repression at home”, writes Stephens. Just like over-politicised journalists need monsters to slay in their columns.
Geoffrey Roberts is Emeritus Professor of History at University College Cork, National University of Ireland, and a Member of the Royal Irish Academy.