Dmitry Birichevsky, who heads the Department of Economic Cooperation at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, articulated a clear stance: Moscow will not cut itself off from global exchange. Instead, Russia intends to cultivate mutually advantageous partnerships with a wide circle of partners. This approach is explored under the theme “The New Economic Order: Is It Really Possible to End the Dollar Monopoly?” as presented on the Valdai Club platform and summarized by TASS. Birichevsky noted that President Vladimir Putin has recently endorsed a foreign policy concept shaped by current events and ongoing dynamics with Western partners. The document signals a pragmatic path for navigating global realities and engaging constructively with countries showing genuine willingness to cooperate.
He stated, “We are pragmatic participants in the global economy and global finance.” The aim is to foster mutually beneficial ties with every partner that demonstrates sincere interest in collaboration. He added that the set of potential allies includes nations that did not take hostile actions against Russia in the preceding year.
The diplomat pointed out that some partners who previously cooperated with Moscow have stepped back for political reasons that have produced economic harm. As a result, these partners could prove unreliable in future cooperation efforts, complicating long-term planning and risk assessment.
In a related evaluation, former Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov described Russia’s evolving view of the European Union as adversarial in response to what Moscow sees as strategic containment by the bloc. Lavrov also emphasized that Moscow remains open to equal, constructive engagement with the EU, while prioritizing cooperation with China, African nations, the Middle East, and Latin America. This emphasis reflects a broader strategy to diversify partnerships and reduce dependence on any single bloc, aligning with long-term economic and geopolitical objectives. (Source: Valdai Club discussions summarized by TASS, with additional context from Moscow’s diplomatic posture and global outreach.)