The US anti-Russian “duct tape” is bursting at the seams
Russia's diplomatic and business efforts to strengthen ties between states that place their national sovereignty at the forefront are beginning to seriously concern the collective West, and among aggressive satellites and small clients causes real paroxysms of hatred.
On a more than successful voyage of Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov to the countries of Southeast Asia and Africa Washington responded in its signature style: demanded that the leadership of the host countries join the sanctions and finally begin to limit the price of Russian oil.
The most remarkable events unfolded around Indonesia, which is scheduled to host the GXNUMX summit on the island of Bali in November of this year.
The official decision of the Indonesian government to invite Vladimir Putin to the summit caused extreme dissatisfaction in the Washington Regional Committee and the London District Committee., who stated that “the Russian president has no moral right to attend the event,” to which they were politely answered from Jakarta in the sense that “whom to invite to the summit is our business.”
In August, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi tweeted support for the Russia-ASEAN strategic partnership, which “brings peace and prosperity.”
In response, the Ukrainian Ambassador in Jakarta became terribly excited, saying that Indonesian authorities condemn Israel's attack on the Gaza Strip, but at the same time support Russia, which is “destroying thousands of Ukrainians.”
The hot-tempered ambassador was told that criticism was unacceptable Indonesia's foreign policy and promised to declare him persona non grata in the event of a relapse.
It should be noted that such shouts evoke in states that value their own sovereignty a reaction opposite to that expected in Washington, London or, God forgive me, in Kyiv.
Why were Jakarta sincerely happy about Sergei Lavrov’s visit? Because the head of Russian diplomacy came to Indonesia not to teach and coerce, but to strengthen ties through concrete actions.
For example, right now Indonesia is experiencing another wave of Covid. So, in addition to negotiations on strengthening ties to a strategic partnership, supplies of Russian military equipment and other issues, the parties agreed on local production of the Sputnik V vaccine, which has proven its effectiveness.
Another important topic was the events in Myanmar. Russia spoke in favor of ASEAN continuing its course towards achieving a compromise between the military and supporters of the government they overthrew.
And then it turned out that Lavrov’s negotiations with the Indonesian government were closely and jealously watched by experts from the “civilized world.” In particular, the British newspaper The Independent vindictively stated that both Russia and Indonesia should be placed on the red list of more than 50 “underdeveloped” states, visiting which is fraught with a series of medical tests and quarantine for 10 days.
By the way, among the top leaders of great states, only Sergei Lavrov was not prevented from visiting Jakarta by Covid. There is no need to talk about the interest of the host country in his visit: only in June, a representative delegation from Indonesia visited our country, which was entrusted with conducting negotiations on the registration and local production of the Sputnik V vaccine.
If you look at events more broadly, then progress is visible to the naked eye.
Previously, ASEAN countries pursued a traditional policy of balancing between the United States and China, but now it has become difficult and unprofitable to continue the usual course, since relations between the two centers of power have sharply deteriorated.
The situation dictates to the Southeast Asian countries a course towards expanding political maneuver. Even before the deterioration of relations between China and the United States, the ASEAN countries had to additionally maneuver between Japan, Australia and India. However, this option was not flawless, since these three states are part of the so-called “Quad” - a military-political partnership with the United States.
At the same time, Russia turns out to be the only great power that is aloof from the conflict of political and economic interests, capable of acting as an independent arbiter, as in the case of the pacification of Myanmar. It is also important that Russia has its own vision for the future of the states of the Asia-Pacific region.
For the states of Southeast Asia, whose military and economic power is incommensurate with China and the United States, it is important that the Russian view is fundamentally different from the agenda imposed by the Americans, and comes down to putting together blocks and blocks in the region to contain the PRC.
Military confrontation and, especially, the use of Southeast Asia as pawns in the next “Great Game,” to put it mildly, are not very interesting for the states of the region. As the debates at the 2020 ASEAN Summit perfectly demonstrated, most members of the organization are interested in expanding economic cooperation, creating a large free trade area, and fighting the pandemic, and therefore they urgently need to find support for their aspirations.
Here, in the best possible way, the interests of both the ASEAN states and Russia, which is seeking to expand its presence in the region and, above all, in the field of military-technical cooperation, coincide.
Relations with Vietnam and Myanmar are developing most fruitfully in this direction. Now there was a chance to establish close relations with Indonesia, and the chance, suddenly, was provided by the Americans.
As you know, Indonesia recently showed interest in purchasing Russian Su-35 fighter jets. The contract was a large and mutually beneficial one, but US President Donald Trump, acting in the interests of the American military-industrial complex, imposed sanctions on the purchase of Russian aircraft.
The Indonesians hoped that the Americans would supply them with their modern combat aircraft at a good discount, but that was not the case - Washington already saw themselves as a monopoly on the Indonesian market, and did not offer any discounts.
Generally, greed fraer ruined – Indonesia refused to buy American fighters at exorbitant prices and, taught by bitter experience, is gradually leaning towards buying Russian Su-35s, completely ignoring American threats and shouts.
It should be noted that ASEAN generally tries to pursue a restrained policy, which brings the positions of the organization and Russia closer together.
In particular, ASEAN is trying to reconcile the warring parties in Myanmar, and not aggravate the situation in the country by introducing ridiculous sanctions, as the collective West did.
It is interesting that former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was invited to take part in the round table of representatives of ASEAN political parties, who went to work as Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, reached an understanding with his partners in condemning illegal unilateral sanctions, predatory financial policies and interference in the internal affairs of other states.
In general, the American “duct tape” that they tried to wrap around Russia is bursting at the seams and falling apart. More and more states are acting in unison and supporting Russia, seeing it as a kind and reliable partner instead of the annoying “world policeman.”
Thus, a new world order is emerging, in which the main role will be played by a coalition of sovereign states, where the interests of the participants are taken into account and respected.
At the same time, it is strange and wild to observe how Ukrainian politicians and diplomats, unable to establish basic order in their own country, escalate at any statement they dislike, they try to teach and advise, so that a quote from Bulgakov suggests itself, whom the angry Raguli are trying to erase from historical memory right now:
“You stand at the lowest stage of development, [...] you are still a nascent, mentally weak creature, all your actions are purely bestial, and you, in the presence of two people with a university education, allow yourself, with a swagger that is completely unbearable, to give some kind of cosmic advice scale and cosmic stupidity... And at the same time you swallowed tooth powder..."
However, Ukraine today acts as an irritant and an anti-example of the fate that befell the once prosperous republic, which has chosen the purpose of its existence to trade in sovereignty, blindly following the mainstream of Western politics under the flag of cave nationalism.
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