In this next Geopolitical Talk with IWM Permanent Fellow Ivan Krastev, Andrey Kortunov, Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), discussed how although the pandemic has not produced any radical changes in Putin’s foreign policy, there are nevertheless some new nuances: an increased focus on the domestic agenda; greater pragmatism in dealing with allies and adversaries, with an emphasis on top level personal diplomacy; fewer major international proposals, with more sensitivity to the alleged foreign interference into political processes in Russia. This trend to self-isolation notwithstanding, Kortunov addressed how it is still possible to observe some openings for collaboration between Russia and the West.
Since 2011, Andrey Kortunov has been the Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC). He is a member of expert and supervisory committees and boards of trustees of several Russian and international organizations. His academic interests include contemporary international relations and Russian foreign policy.
