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Valdai Discussion Club

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The Valdai Discussion Club is a Moscow-based think tank[2] and discussion forum. It was established in 2004 and is named after Lake Valdai, which is located close to Veliky Novgorod, where the Club’s first meeting took place. In 2014, the management of the Club was transferred to the Valdai Club Foundation, established in 2011 by the Council on Foreign and Defence Policy, the Russian International Affairs Council, Moscow State Institute of International Relations, and the Higher School of Economics.[3]

Valdai Discussion Club
Company typeThink tank
Founded2004
Headquarters
Moscow
,
Russia
Key people
Andrey Bystritskiy
Nadezhda Lavrentieva
Fyodor Lukyanov [ru][1]
Websitevaldaiclub.com

Overview

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The 2004 Valdai conference was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin.[4][5] Among many other Russian Government officials attending Valdai meetings are Dmitry Medvedev, former Prime Minister and former President; Sergey Ivanov, former Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office; Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sergey Shoygu, former Minister of Defence.[6]

The Club also operates regional programmes – Asian,[7] Mid-Eastern [8] and Euro-Atlantic Dialogues.[9] It holds a special session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum[10] and the Eastern Economic Forum. Stanislav Zas, Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization spoke at Valdai in February 2022.[11]

Daniel W. Drezner, professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, described Valdai as "a swanky high-level conference put on by the Russian elite" and "the highest-profile Russian equivalent to Davos (minus the corporate presence)".[12] Drezner also wrote that the chief value to attendees is the ability to determine the official line of the Russian government, although attendance also risks "greater legitimacy on a government that has been accused of some less-than-legitimate activities as of late."[12] Nikolay Petrov of the Carnegie Moscow Center identified Valdai as "a project used as blatant propaganda by the Kremlin" while Russian sociologist Lilia Shevtsova criticized the Valdai conferences in an article entitled "Putin's Useful Idiots."[13] Marcel H. Van Herpen wrote that Valdai was a soft power effort by the Kremlin in service of Russian foreign policy goals, with Russian leadership using the conference in a bid to gain goodwill among Western intellectuals, create networking opportunities between Russian and Western elites, and "create a testing ground for the Kremlin's foreign policy initiatives."[14] Angus Roxburgh wrote that RIA Novosti was important to the establishment of Valdai during Putin's second term, and that the conference plays a key role in the Russian government's effort to burnish Putin's image and influence outsiders.[4] Nikolay Petrov also wrote that the club has increasingly become a "propaganda tool."[15] British journalist Angus Roxburgh described it as part of the Russian propaganda effort.[4]

According to the Institute for the Study of War, in 2023, one of Valdai's contributors, Konstantin Zatulin, stated that Russia had failed to achieve any of its major goals during the Russo-Ukrainian War. These he listed as "denazification, demilitarization, the neutrality of Ukraine, and the protection of the inhabitants of the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics". He said that these goals "have ceased to hold actual meaning" and suggested that Russian forces should have been more aggressive in efforts to push Ukrainian forces back from the borders of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts.[16]

The Valdai Discussion Club Foundation has been sanctioned in connection with Russia's aggression against Ukraine, by Ukraine and by Canada.[17][18][19]

In John Mearsheimer's 2023 book "How States Think", the foreword acknowledges him receiving a small financial support from Valdai in conjunction with Best Book award for his 2019 book "The Great Delusion".[20]

Annual meetings

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Title Place Date Notes
Russia at the Turn of the Century: Hopes and Reality Veliky Novgorod September 2–5, 2004 [21]
Russia as a Political Kaleidoscope cruise ship Alexander Radishchev (traveled from Moscow to Tver and back) September 2–5, 2005 [22]
Global Energy in the 21st Century: Russia’s Role and Position Moscow and Khanty-Mansiysk September 4–9, 2006 [23]
Russia at the crossroads - choice and identity Moscow and Kazan September 10–14, 2007 [24]
Russia's Role in the Global Geopolitical Revolution of the Early 21st Century Moscow, Rostov-on-Don and Grozny September 9–14, 2008 [25]
Russia – West: Back to the Future Yakutsk and Moscow September 7–15, 2009 [26]
Russia: History and Future Development St. Petersburg, Karelia, Sochi September 1–7, 2010 [27]
The 2011–2012 Elections and the Future of Russia: Development Scenarios for the Next 5–8 Years Kaluga and Moscow November 6–12, 2011 [28]
The Future Is Being Made Today: Scenarios for Russia’s Economic Development St. Petersburg and Moscow October 20–26, 2012 [29]
Russia’s Diversity for the Modern World Novgorod Oblast September 16–19, 2013 [30]
The World Order: New Rules or a Game Without Rules Sochi October 22–24, 2014 [31]
Societies Between War and Peace: Overcoming the Logic of Conflict in Tomorrow's World Sochi October 19–22, 2015 [32]
The Future in Progress: Shaping the World of Tomorrow Sochi October 24–27, 2016 [33]
Creative Destruction: Will a New World Order Emerge from the Current Conflicts? Sochi October 16–19, 2017 [34]
Russia: Agenda for the 21st Century Sochi October 15–18, 2018 Former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai attended the plenary session[35][36]
The Dawn of the East and the World Political Order Sochi September 30 – October 3, 2019 Presidents of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and King Abdullah II of Jordan attended the plenary session [37][38]
The Lessons of the Pandemic and the New Agenda: How to Turn the World Crisis Into an Opportunity for the World Moscow October 20–22, 2020 [39]
Global Shake-Up in the 21st Century: The Individual, Values, and the State Sochi October 18–21, 2021 [40]
A Post-Hegemonic World: Justice and Security for Everyone Moscow October 24–27, 2022 [41]
Fair Multipolarity: How to Ensure Security and Development for Everyone Sochi October 2–5, 2023 [42][43]
Lasting Peace on What Basis? Common Security and Equal Opportunities for Development in the 21st Century Sochi November 7, 2024 [44]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Executive Team". Valdai Discussion Club. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  2. ^ DeYoung, Karen; Filipov, David (April 7, 2017). "Expectations of a new U.S.-Russia relationship were tanking even before missile strike". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  3. ^ "Valdai Club Foundation". Valdai Discussion Club. Retrieved 2019-06-23.
  4. ^ a b c Roxburgh, Angus (2013). The Strongman: Vladimir Putin and the Struggle for Russia (2nd ed.). I.B.Tauris. p. 193.
  5. ^ Shimotomai, Nobuo (2015). "Politics of Dictatorship and Pluralism". In Inoguchi, Takashi (ed.). Japanese and Russian Politics: Polar Opposites or Something in Common?. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 79.
  6. ^ Zabrisky, Zarina (March 9, 2017). "NIXON CENTER— KREMLIN — TRUMP". Mosaic2. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  7. ^ "Asian Dialogue: Future of Siberia and the Russian Far East Discussed in Singapore". Valdai Discussion Club. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  8. ^ "Speech by Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov at the 6th Middle East Dialogue Conference "The Middle East: When Will Tomorrow Come?" held by the Valdai International Discussion Club, Moscow, February 27, 2017". The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. February 27, 2017. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  9. ^ Weitz, Richard (November 10, 2016). "Perspectives At The Valdai Conference On Russia, Europe And The United States: What Will Be Impact Of The Coming To Power Of President Elect Trump?". Second Line of Defense. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  10. ^ "Results of Day One of the XX Anniversary Forum". St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  11. ^ "NATO's build-up near western borders poses threats to Moscow-led bloc — CSTO chief". TASS. 9 February 2022.
  12. ^ a b Drezner, Daniel W. (October 26, 2016). "Is there value in Valdai?". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2019-07-29.
  13. ^ Van Herpen, Marcel H. (2016). Putin's Propaganda Machine: Soft Power and Russian Foreign Policy. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 62.
  14. ^ Van Herpen, Marcel H. (2016). Putin's Propaganda Machine: Soft Power and Russian Foreign Policy. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 59.
  15. ^ Petrov, Nikolai. "Valdai Voodoo". Carnegie Moscow Center. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  16. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 3, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Valdai Discussion Club (Foundation)". OpenSanctions.org. 2023-09-23. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  18. ^ "Canada introduces new package of sanctions against Russia". Interfax-Ukraine. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  19. ^ Canada, Global Affairs (2023-07-17). "Regulations Amending the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations". GAC. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  20. ^ Mearsheimer, J. J., & Rosato, S. (2023). How states think: the rationality of foreign policy. Yale University Press.
  21. ^ "2004: "Russia at the Turn of the Century: Hopes and Reality"". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  22. ^ "2005: "Russia as a Political Kaleidoscope"". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  23. ^ "2006: Global energy industry in the 21st century: Russia's role and position". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  24. ^ "2007: Russia at the crossroads - choice and identity". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  25. ^ "Russia's Role in the Global Geopolitical Revolution of the Early 21st Century". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  26. ^ "Russia – West: Back to the Future". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  27. ^ "Valdai-2010. Russia: History and Future Development. Programme". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  28. ^ "Valdai-2011. The 2011-2012 Elections and the Future of Russia: Development Scenarios for the Next 5-8 Years". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  29. ^ "Valdai-2012. The Future Is Being Made Today: Scenarios for Russia's Economic Development". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  30. ^ "Valdai-2013. Russia's Diversity for the Modern World". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  31. ^ "Valdai-2014. The World Order: New Rules or a Game Without Rules". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  32. ^ "Valdai-2015. Societies Between War and Peace: Overcoming the Logic of Conflict in Tomorrow's World". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  33. ^ "13th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club The Future in Progress: Shaping the World of Tomorrow". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  34. ^ "14th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club. Creative Destruction: Will a New World Order Emerge from the Current Conflicts?". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  35. ^ "Meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club". President of Russia. 18 October 2018. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  36. ^ "15th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  37. ^ "16th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  38. ^ "Valdai Discussion Club session". President of Russia. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-08.
  39. ^ "17th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club. The Lessons of the Pandemic and the New Agenda: How to Turn the World Crisis Into an Opportunity for the World". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  40. ^ "The 18th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2022-01-23.
  41. ^ "19th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  42. ^ "20th Annual Meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2023-10-06.
  43. ^ Vladimir Putin delivers speech at annual Valdai meeting in Sochi, retrieved 2023-10-10
  44. ^ "Vladimir Putin Meets with Members of the Valdai Discussion Club. Transcript of the Plenary Session of the 21st Annual Meeting". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2024-11-09.

55°44′14″N 37°38′06″E / 55.737139°N 37.635055°E / 55.737139; 37.635055

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