On January 19 at 2:00 pm Moscow Time, the Valdai Club hosted an expert discussion dedicated to the consultations between representatives of Russia and the West on security guarantees in Geneva, Brussels and Vienna, titled “A three-move game: will it be possible to avoid zugzwang?” Sergei Ryabkov, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation and head of the Russian delegation at these talks, attended the discussion and present his views following the results of the first series of consultations with Western partners from the United States, NATO and the OSCE.

Relations between Russia and the West have long been characterised by a lack of mutual trust. In mid-December, Moscow proposed security assurance treaties with the United States and NATO, in which it frankly and clearly outlined its concepts for the strengthening of security near Russia’s borders.

Speakers:

  • John Mearsheimer, Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago
  • Malcolm Rifkind, Secretary of Defence (1992-1995) and Foreign Secretary (1995-1997) of the UK
  • Sergei Ryabkov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

Moderator:

  • Fyodor Lukyanov, Research Director of the Valdai Discussion Club.