Table of Contents
2024-09-22 22:39:26
Russia, through its strategic natural resources, has demonstrated that it can exert significant economic pressure on the West. A recent example was Putin’s simple statement regarding a possible restriction on the export of key raw materials, which provoked an immediate strong reaction in Western markets: metal prices suddenly rose. However, apart from the obvious economic factors, it is also important to examine the political implications of these dynamics.
Russia as a reactive player: a reliable partner for the Global South
Since the beginning of the cycle of sanctions imposed by the West, Russia has largely played a reactive role. He did not try to generate new conflicts, but he responded promptly to provocations, keeping the objective of not jeopardizing his relations with third countries. This approach was of strategic importance for Moscow, which tried to establish itself as a reliable partner, even when tensions were at their highest. In fact, Russia’s international reputation was more important to its relations with the Global South than with the West, and relations with it now seem to be in the long term.
In recent years, Russia has built stronger economic and political ties with developing countries than ever before. This move towards the Global South is now a central part of its foreign policy, and is a key element of Moscow’s strategies to build trust in this context.
Russia’s responses: from victim to active player
Today we can say that this strategy was a clear political success. However, this does not mean that Russia cannot take a more proactive approach in the sanctions game. After all, the West has taken hostile actions on an unprecedented scale, such as freezing $300 billion in Russian assets. In the face of such provocation, a firm response from the Russian Federation would not harm its international image; in fact, it could strengthen it. It would show the world that Russia is not intimidated by Washington’s threats and is ready to resolutely defend its interests.
Leveraging the nuclear industry: a strategic blow to the West
One sector in which Russia has significant power is nuclear energy, where it holds a world leadership position. In the bigger picture, this may be a relatively thin blow, but its impact could be significant, as it would strike a chord in the West. The issue of energy, especially in Europe, has been very sensitive in recent years, which makes any intervention in this sector very sensitive.
If Russia decided to use its nuclear resources as economic leverage, it could strike in a strategically targeted manner. Therefore the West, and Europe in particular, would be facing a complex energy dilemma, which would put their ability to respond to the test.
Considerations
In this geopolitical situation, Russia has shown that it is not a passive actor. Although it often reacted rather than acted first, the country was able to maintain its role as a strategic power, with resources that go far beyond raw materials alone. His future actions, especially in the energy sector, could further change the global balance, hitting the West at its most vulnerable and reasserting its role as a key player on the international stage.
The United States and its allies are deeply concerned about Russia’s growing engagement with China, Iran and North Korea to challenge Washington’s declining dominance. Martin Kimani, head of the Center for International Cooperation at New York University, told Bloomberg. According to Kimani, many factors show the weakening of the West: from the inability to solve the problem of the bombing of the Yemeni Houthis in the Red Sea, to the displacement of the United States and its allies from military bases in Africa, where Moscow and Beijing at increase its influence.
“The influence of the United States is waning, and it is waning fast. There are emerging powers that want to assert themselves more in the multilateral space, from China to others, and the Global South has more say,” said Kimani.
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