{"id":178614,"date":"2024-11-20T18:43:34","date_gmt":"2024-11-20T18:43:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/?p=178614"},"modified":"2024-11-20T18:43:34","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T18:43:34","slug":"escobar-putin-outlines-the-moment-of-truth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/escobar-putin-outlines-the-moment-of-truth\/","title":{"rendered":"Escobar: Putin Outlines The ‘Moment Of Truth’"},"content":{"rendered":"

President Putin\u2019s plenary session performance (address + Q&A) at the annual Valdai Club meeting in Sochi began referring to the October 1917 revolution, drawing a direct parallel with our turbulent times: \u201cThe moment of truth is coming<\/em>\u201d. In a clear tribute to Gramsci, he stated how a \u201ccompletely new world order<\/em>\u201d is \u201cbeing formed before our eyes<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The subtle reference to the recent BRICS summit in Kazan could not possibly escape critical thinking across the global majority. Kazan was a living, breathing testimony that \u201cthe old order is irrevocably disappearing, one might say, has already disappeared, and a serious, irreconcilable struggle is unfolding for the formation of a new one. Irreconcilable, first of all, because this is not even a fight for power or geopolitical influence, this is a clash of the very principles on which relations between countries and peoples will be built at the next historical stage<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

As concisely as possible, that should be taken as the current Big Picture framework: we are not mired inside a reductionist clash of civilizations or the \u201cend of History<\/em>\u201d \u2013 which Putin defined as \u201cmyopic<\/em>\u201d \u2013 but facing a make-or-break systemic clash of fundamental principles. The result will define this century \u2013 arguably the Eurasia Century, as \u201cthe dialectics of History continues<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Putin himself quipped that he would drive into \u201cphilosophical asides<\/em>\u201d during his address. In fact, that went much further than a mere refutation of unilateral conceptual fallacies, as \u201cthe Western elites thought that their monopoly is the final stop for humanity<\/em>\u201d and \u201cmodern neoliberalism degenerated into a totalitarian ideology<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Referring to AI, he asked rhetorically, \u201cwill human remain human?<\/em>\u201d He praised the building of a new global architecture, moving towards a \u201cpolyphonic<\/em>\u201d and \u201cpolycentric<\/em>\u201d world where \u201cmaximum representation<\/em>\u201d is paramount and the BRICS are \u201ccoming up with a coordinated approach<\/em>\u201d based on \u201csovereign equality<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Main Principles For Global Sustainable Development<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sovereignty had to be one of the predominant themes during the Valdai Q&A. Putin was adamant that Russia needs to \u201cdevelop our own sovereign AI<\/em>.\u201d As algorithms are biased and give massive power to a few big companies that control the internet, the need is imperative for \u201csovereign algorithms<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Answering a question on Eurasian security and the US as the dominant maritime power v. a multipolar Eurasia, he stressed the \u201cconsensus and desire in Eurasia for an anti-hegemonic movement<\/em>\u201d, and not for Eurasia constituted \u201cas a bloc<\/em>\u201d. That\u2019s the appeal of Eurasia\u2019s \u201cmulti-vector foreign policy<\/em>\u201d, implying \u201cmore political independence<\/em>\u201d. The key example of \u201charmonizing interests<\/em>\u201d, Putin stressed, is the Russia-China partnership, and that was also what \u201cmade BRICS successful<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Compare it in contrast to \u201cthe inability in Europe to establish a system of indivisibility of security<\/em>\u201d and to \u201covercome bloc politics<\/em>\u201d; Europe instead went for NATO expansion: \u201cAfter the end of the Cold War there was an opportunity to overcome bloc politics. But the US had fear of losing Europe. The US installed almost a colonial dependence. Honestly, I did not expect that<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Putin introduced a personal experience tidbit referring to a conversation \u2013 in German \u2013 with former German chancellor Helmut Kohl in 1993, when Kohl said flat out that \u201cthe future of Europe<\/em>\u201d is linked to Russia.<\/p>\n

Yet that ended up leading to \u201cthe most important problem on our Eurasian continent, the main problem between Russia and European countries: the trust deficit. When they tell us that \u2018we signed the Minsk agreements on Ukraine only to give Ukraine an opportunity to rearm, and we had no intention of resolving this conflict peacefully,\u2019 what kind of trust can we talk about? You have directly publicly stated that you have cheated us! Lied to us and deceived us! What kind of trust is that? But we need to get back to that system of mutual trust<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Putin then added that Europe should consider becoming part and parcel of a Chinese concept straight from Chinese philosophy (\u201cthey do not strive for domination<\/em>\u201d). With panache, he stressed that the Chinese uber-geoeconomic trade\/connectivity project should be interpreted as One Belt, One Common Road<\/em>.<\/p>\n

And that extrapolates to Central Asia, with all those nations \u201cvery young in their statehood<\/em>\u201d interested in \u201cstable development<\/em>\u201d. For Russia-China, there\u2019s \u201cno competition<\/em>\u201d in the Heartland: \u201cwe only have cooperation<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Putin once again enumerated what he considers the six key principles for global sustainable development: openness of interaction (implying no \u201cartificial barriers<\/em>\u201d); diversity (\u201ca model of one country or a relatively small part of humanity should not be imposed as something universal<\/em>\u201d); maximum representativeness; security for all without exception; justice for all (erasing the gap between the \u2018golden billion\u2019 and the rest of humanity<\/em>); and equality.<\/p>\n

\u201cMake Civilizations, Not War\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Ukraine, this was the main quote: \u201cIf there is no neutrality, then it\u2019s difficult to imagine any kind of good neighborly relations between Russia and Ukraine<\/em>.\u201d In a nutshell: Moscow is ready for negotiations, but based on facts on the battlefield and what was agreed upon in Istanbul in April 2022.<\/p>\n

That may be interpreted as a direct message to President Trump. To whom the door is open: \u201cRussia has not damaged its relations with the US and is open to their restoration, but the ball is in the Americans’ court.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Putin on US Presidents (he met quite a few): \u201cAll of them are interesting people<\/em>.\u201d On Trump: \u201cHis behavior when there was an attempt on his life, I was impressed. He is a courageous person. He acquitted himself valiantly<\/em>.\u201d On the open door: \u201cWhatever he does it\u2019s up to him to decide<\/em>.\u201d Then Putin offered his own congratulations for the re-election \u2013 on the record. The dialogue may be on: \u201cWe are willing to talk to Trump<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Putin extolled Russia-China relations as part of their strategic partnership as being \u201cat the highest level in modern history<\/em>.\u201d He also praised his own personal relation with Xi Jinping. That paved the way for the real deal, when it comes to US-Russia-China: \u201cIf the US had chosen a trilateral cooperation instead of double constraint \u2013 everyone would win<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

An excellent question by Brazilian economist Paulo Nogueira Batista Jr \u2013 a former vice-president of the NDB, the BRICS bank \u2013 led Putin to clarify his own position on de-dollarization. He stated flatly that \u201cmy role is to see ideas shaped that we then propose to our partners<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

The key target is \u201cproposing to create a new investment platform using electronic payments<\/em>.\u201d That will address the \u201cmost promising markets<\/em>\u201d in the near future \u2013 South Asia, Africa, parts of Latin America: \u201cThey will need investment, technologies<\/em>.\u201d And \u201ctools independent from inflation<\/em>\u201d \u2013 with regulation \u201cthrough Central Banks and the NDB. We agreed to have a working group meeting regularly at government level. We are in no hurry<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

So that puts to rest any scenario of an immediate BRICS financial bombshell \u2013 even as \u201ctwo-thirds of our trade is being serviced in national currencies<\/em>\u201d and among BRICS the figures are also high.<\/p>\n

BRICS Bridge will be tested \u2013 soon. As for creating a single currency, that\u2019s \u201cpremature. We need to achieve greater integration of economies, increase the quality of economies to a certain \u2013 compatible \u2013 level<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then, the bombshell: \u201cWe never wanted to abandon the dollar!<\/em>\u201d That goes a long way to explain Putin\u2019s own view on de-dollarization: \u201cThey are undoing it with their own hand \u2013 the power of the dollar.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n

All of the above is just a sample of the width and breath of themes addressed by the Russian President during the Valdai Q&A. The forum itself offered precious nuggets all across the spectrum. Some participants noted the absence of \u201cthe majority of the majority<\/em>\u201d: youth and women. Africans were impressed with \u201cthe sharp intelligence of Russian bureaucracy<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

A Chinese view noted how \u201cthe Chinese don\u2019t swim against the current; they cross the river and reach the other bank<\/em>.\u201d There was a near consensus that development should be \u201cbased in different cultural values of civilizations<\/em>\u201d \u2013 actually Putin\u2019s own view. Also notable is the \u201cneed for aggregate authority<\/em>\u201d among the Global South.<\/p>\n

A Greek insight was particularly powerful when it comes to the civilizational approach to politics: \u201cCivilizations don\u2019t clash. States do.<\/em>\u201d Thus the new \u2013 playful \u2013 motto that could guide not only BRICS but the whole global majority: \u201cMake Civilizations, Not War.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Author: Pepe Escobar<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

yogaesoteric
\nNovember 20, 2024<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

President Putin\u2019s plenary session performance (address + Q&A) at the annual Valdai Club meeting in Sochi began referring to the October 1917 revolution, drawing a direct parallel with our turbulent times: \u201cThe moment of truth is coming\u201d. In a clear tribute to Gramsci, he stated how a \u201ccompletely new world order\u201d is \u201cbeing formed before […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[382],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-178614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-opinions-1602-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178614","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=178614"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178614\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":178622,"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/178614\/revisions\/178622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=178614"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=178614"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/yogaesoteric.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=178614"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}