Is Russia really back as a world power?This issue has aroused widespread concern. On November 30, Germany reported that Putin said at a meeting of the World Council of Russian People that Russia had de facto restored its status as a "global superpower" and was fighting for "the freedom of the whole world." However, as the saying goes, "strength is the last word", and more consideration needs to be given to whether Russia is really back among the world's great powers. First of all, we have to admit that Russia has significant influence both in terms of military power and geopolitics.
For example, Russia's intervention in Syria, as well as its military operation against Ukraine, have demonstrated its great power and regional influence. In addition, Russia's cooperation with China has given it a place in international affairs. However, it is too early to say that Russia has re-emerged as a world power. After all, Russia still has a certain gap in terms of economy, science and technology, and soft power. Especially under economic sanctions, Russia's economic development is facing severe challenges, which is also one of the backgrounds of Putin's statement. In addition, different voices are emerging in society about Russia's current justification for war.
Putin said that Russia is "fighting for the freedom of the whole world", but in reality, the Ukraine issue is a complex geopolitical game that involves the competing interests of many parties, and Russia's actions are not only motivated by the "war of freedom". NATO's ridicule of Russia has also been widely discussed. NATO's top brass said that Russia's strength depends on "staking all its future to China" and threatened that Russia "will become more dependent on China" in the future.
This view of Russia is inevitably somewhat subjective and one-sided, ignoring the depth and breadth of Russian-Chinese cooperation, as well as Russia's unique role in geopolitics. In general, whether Russia will return to the ranks of world powers needs more objective data and facts to support it. Whether it is Russia's own statements or the ridicule of the outside world, it needs to be viewed rationally. After all, the world pattern is changing rapidly, and it is impossible for any country to become strong and prosperous without any problems. The Russia-Ukraine war has been going on for more than a year, and Russia seems to have held back the siege of NATO at all levels.
Putin's declaration is a provocation to the White House and a stern warning to the United States. Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, Western countries led by the United States have imposed a series of sanctions on Russia and fully supported Russia's hostile countries. It can be said that what the Western bloc is doing is in fact an act of war against Russia. Putin's declaration is a warning to the United States that, in the eyes of the Kremlin, Washington has become an enemy of Russia. By adjusting its geopolitical strategy, Russia has succeeded in building a system of survival that it can rely on for a long time.
It is already difficult for NATO to quickly defeat Russia through concentrated aid to Ukraine in a short period of time, supplemented by external repressive sanctions. And because the process of US sanctions against Russia has shaken the credit base of the dollar, it has accelerated the collapse of the dollar's hegemony. Russia seems to be fighting for itself, not for the freedom of the whole world. While the US-led Western system is not a good one, Russia's behavior is still up for debate. They have also been trying to occupy the top of the global value chain. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has attracted a lot of attention, and what are Russia's real motives in this war?
Some believe that this is an attempt by Russia to expand its influence in the world, but in reality, there may be deeper motives behind Russia's war. First of all, Russia pursues access to the sea in Crimea, which is of self-evident importance for Russia's future. Considering that the cost of land transportation is several times that of sea transportation, if Russia loses its access to the sea, then in the new round of industrial revolution, Russia will face the dilemma of industrial upgrading, and the market will not pay for Russian products. Russia, which has historically made enormous sacrifices for access to the sea, is once again facing decisive change, and Putin is naturally unwilling to sit idly by.
Second, Russia has built a consensus among its own nations through the war, and at the same time has achieved a sustained increase in its gross national product by relying on commodities. This has made NATO realize that Russia has become an extremely difficult adversary today. Russia's strategic layout at home and abroad makes it difficult for NATO to break the situation easily. Does NATO have the guts and strength to meet this challenge?Finally, there is the issue of Sino-Russian relations that NATO often talks about.
However, an isolated Russia may indeed be a "broken house that can be kicked over with a kick", as a European historical figure put it, but Russia with a group of partners, if NATO wants to gnaw it down, I am afraid that it will long have lost that strength and teeth. In this grim geopolitical game, it is clear that the interests and ambitions pursued by Russia should not be underestimated. How to respond to Russia's strategic initiatives will be an issue that the international community and NATO need to seriously consider and face.