While relations with the West are worsening, Russia has been claiming its own “pivot” to the Asia-Pacific, primarily to China. The signature of energy agreements with China in 2014 and the decision to link together the Chinese “One Belt One Road” initiative with the Eurasian Union in May 2015 appear to be the highlights of this shifting policy. Most of the attention is focused on economic and energy aspects of this “pivot”, while the strategic, security and defense aspects remains in the shadows. Russia now wishes to involve Asian countries, especially China, in close coordination on global issues while the Pacific area seems to play an increasing role in Russia’s military and technical cooperations. What is the substance of this “pivot” and what are its strategic consequences for Russia, and for Moscow’s relations with the West ?

Chair: Tatiana KASTOUÉVA-JEAN, Head of Russia/NIS Centre

This seminar will be held in English

This roundtable will be held within the framework of
the “Observatoire Russie, Europe orientale et Caucase”
with the support of DGRIS
(Directorate General for International Relations and Strategy)

French Ministry of Defense