Speaking at the plenary session of the 23rd annual meeting of the Valdai International Discussion Club on October 1, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the absence of universally accepted common rules was pushing some countries to impose their own rules aggressively. Around 120 people from 40 countries attended the meeting, held from September 28 to October 1 under the theme “Responsibility for the future: The limits of what is possible or boundless opportunities?”
Putin said the lack of a shared understanding of the principle of equal and indivisible security encouraged selfish behavior, which in some cases turned into aggressive attempts to gain unilateral advantages and deepened global uncertainty. He said some actors that view themselves as exceptional in military-political, economic and moral terms act according to the belief that “might makes right,” arguing that history shows this approach has never led to good results.
Institutions and multipolarity
“The international institutions established after 1945 do not reflect the situation in the second quarter of the 21st century,” Putin said. He said it remained an open question whether existing institutions could be reformed to reflect today’s realities, adding that regional unions and global structures such as BRICS had significant potential.
“Multipolarity and a multicentric system have become part of modern life for the long term. Russia is needed by the world as one of the most important elements of the overall balance,” Putin said. He added that the “former hegemon” would have to accept that the world was multipolar and learn to cooperate with countries representing the global majority.
Emphasizing the importance of how Eurasia takes shape for the global stage, Putin said, “Much will also change in the broader international arena depending on how we shape Eurasia.”
The Valdai Club
Founded in September 2004, the Valdai International Discussion Club brings together Russian and foreign experts in political science, economics, history and international relations. The club takes its name from Lake Valdai near Novgorod, where the first conference was held.
Putin also criticized the last Soviet leaders: “The last Soviet leaders blindly trusted the Western powers. They wanted the West to like them, while the West wanted to shape the world as it pleased.”
