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The '''Valdai Discussion Club''' is a Moscow-based [[think tank]]<ref>{{Cite news|author=Karen DeYoung & David Filipov|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/expectations-of-a-new-us-russia-relationship-were-tanking-even-before-missile-strike/2017/04/07/a178451e-1bc4-11e7-9887-1a5314b56a08_story.html|title=Expectations of a new U.S.-Russia relationship were tanking even before missile strike|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=April 7, 2017}}</ref> and discussion forum, established in 2004. It is named after [[Lake Valdai]], which is located close to [[Veliky Novgorod]], where the Club’s first meeting took place. In 2014, the management of the Club was transferred to the Valdai Club Foundation, established in 2011 by the [[Council on Foreign and Defence Policy]], the [[Russian International Affairs Council]], [[Moscow State Institute of International Relations]], and [[Higher School of Economics]].<ref name=about>{{cite web|url=http://valdaiclub.com/about/valdai/|title=Valdai Club Foundation|publisher=Valdai Discussion Club|access-date=2019-06-23}}</ref>
The '''Valdai Discussion Club''' is a Moscow-based [[think tank]]<ref>{{Cite news|author=Karen DeYoung & David Filipov|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/expectations-of-a-new-us-russia-relationship-were-tanking-even-before-missile-strike/2017/04/07/a178451e-1bc4-11e7-9887-1a5314b56a08_story.html|title=Expectations of a new U.S.-Russia relationship were tanking even before missile strike|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=April 7, 2017}}</ref> and discussion forum, established in 2004. It is named after [[Lake Valdai]], which is located close to [[Veliky Novgorod]], where the Club’s first meeting took place. In 2014, the management of the Club was transferred to the Valdai Club Foundation, established in 2011 by the [[Council on Foreign and Defence Policy]], the [[Russian International Affairs Council]], [[Moscow State Institute of International Relations]], and [[Higher School of Economics]].<ref name=about>{{cite web|url=http://valdaiclub.com/about/valdai/|title=Valdai Club Foundation|publisher=Valdai Discussion Club|access-date=2019-06-23}}</ref>


The Valdai conference is closely linked with Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]],<ref>Angus Roxburgh, ''The Strongman: Vladimir Putin and the Struggle for Russia'' (2nd ed.: I.B.Tauris, 2013), p. 193.</ref><ref>Nobuo Shimotomai, "Politics of Dictatorship and Pluralism" in ''Japanese and Russian Politics: Polar Opposites or Something in Common?'' (ed. Takashi Inoguchi: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015), p. 79.</ref> who has met with the participants of the Valdai Club’s annual meetings every year since its founding.<ref>{{cite web | title=TRENDS: Valdai Discussion Club | website=TRENDS Research and Advisory | date=2016-11-22 | url=http://trendsinstitution.org/valdai-discussion-club/ | ref={{sfnref | TRENDS Research and Advisory | 2016}} | access-date=2017-10-25}}</ref> Among many other Russian Government officials attending Valdai meetings are [[Dmitry Medvedev]], Prime Minister and ex-President; [[Sergei Ivanov]], Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office; [[Sergey Lavrov|Sergei Lavrov]], Minister of Foreign Affairs; [[Sergey Shoygu|Sergei Shoigu]], Defense Minister and others.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/mosaic2/nixon-center-kremlin-trump-35018040f65e|title=NIXON CENTER— KREMLIN — TRUMP|last=Zabrisky|first=Zarina|date=2017-03-09|website=Mosaic2|access-date=2017-11-01}}</ref>
The Valdai conference is closely linked with Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]],<ref>Angus Roxburgh, ''The Strongman: Vladimir Putin and the Struggle for Russia'' (2nd ed.: I.B.Tauris, 2013), p. 193.</ref><ref>Nobuo Shimotomai, "Politics of Dictatorship and Pluralism" in ''Japanese and Russian Politics: Polar Opposites or Something in Common?'' (ed. Takashi Inoguchi: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015), p. 79.</ref> who has met with the participants of the Valdai Club’s annual meetings every year since its founding.<ref>{{cite web | title=TRENDS: Valdai Discussion Club | website=TRENDS Research and Advisory | date=2016-11-22 | url=http://trendsinstitution.org/valdai-discussion-club/ | ref={{sfnref | TRENDS Research and Advisory | 2016}} | access-date=2017-10-25}}</ref> Among many other Russian Government officials attending Valdai meetings are [[Dmitry Medvedev]], Prime Minister and former President; [[Sergei Ivanov|Sergey Ivanov]], former Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office; [[Sergey Lavrov]], Minister of Foreign Affairs; [[Sergey Shoygu]], Minister of Defence; and others.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://medium.com/mosaic2/nixon-center-kremlin-trump-35018040f65e|title=NIXON CENTER— KREMLIN — TRUMP|last=Zabrisky|first=Zarina|date=2017-03-09|website=Mosaic2|access-date=2017-11-01}}</ref>


[[Daniel W. Drezner]], professor of international politics at the [[Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy]] at [[Tufts University]], describes Valdai as "a swanky high-level conference put on by the Russian elite."<ref name="Drezner">Daniel W. Drezner, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/10/26/is-there-value-in-valdai/ Is there value in Valdai? I'm at a swanky high-level conference put on by the Russian elite. What is to be gained from attending?], ''Washington Post'' (October 26, 2016).</ref> Drezner describes Valdai as "the highest-profile Russian equivalent to [[World Economic Forum#Annual_meeting in Davos|Davos]]" and writes that the chief value to attendees is the ability to determine the official line of the Russian government, although attendance also risks "greater legitimacy on a government that has been accused of some less-than-legitimate activities as of late."<ref name="Drezner"/> Nikolay Petrov of the [[Carnegie Moscow Center]] identified Valdai as "a project used as blatant [[propaganda]] by the Kremlin" while Russian sociologist [[Lilia Shevtsova]] criticized the Valdai conferences in an article entitled "Putin's [[Useful idiot|Useful Idiots]]."<ref>Marcel H. Van Herpen, ''Putin's Propaganda Machine: Soft Power and Russian Foreign Policy'' (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016), p. 62.</ref> Marcel H. Van Herpen identifies Valdai as a [[soft power]] effort by the Kremlin in service of Russian foreign policy goals, with Russian leadership using the conference in a bid to (1) gain goodwill among Western intellectuals, (2) create networking opportunities between Russian and Western elites, and (3) "create a testing ground for the Kremlin's foreign policy initiatives."<ref>Marcel H. Van Herpen, ''Putin's Propaganda Machine: Soft Power and Russian Foreign Policy'' (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016), p. 59.</ref> [[Angus Roxburgh]] notes that [[RIA Novosti]] was important to the establishment of Valdai during Putin's second term, and that the conference plays a key role in the Russian government's effort to burnish Putin's image and influence outsiders.<ref>Angus Roxburgh, ''The Strongman: Vladimir Putin and the Struggle for Russia'' (2nd ed.: I.B. Tauris, 2013), p. 193.</ref>
[[Daniel W. Drezner]], professor of international politics at the [[Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy]] at [[Tufts University]], describes Valdai as "a swanky high-level conference put on by the Russian elite."<ref name="Drezner">Daniel W. Drezner, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/10/26/is-there-value-in-valdai/ Is there value in Valdai? I'm at a swanky high-level conference put on by the Russian elite. What is to be gained from attending?], ''Washington Post'' (October 26, 2016).</ref> Drezner describes Valdai as "the highest-profile Russian equivalent to [[World Economic Forum#Annual_meeting in Davos|Davos]]" and writes that the chief value to attendees is the ability to determine the official line of the Russian government, although attendance also risks "greater legitimacy on a government that has been accused of some less-than-legitimate activities as of late."<ref name="Drezner"/> Nikolay Petrov of the [[Carnegie Moscow Center]] identified Valdai as "a project used as blatant [[propaganda]] by the Kremlin" while Russian sociologist [[Lilia Shevtsova]] criticized the Valdai conferences in an article entitled "Putin's [[Useful idiot|Useful Idiots]]."<ref>Marcel H. Van Herpen, ''Putin's Propaganda Machine: Soft Power and Russian Foreign Policy'' (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016), p. 62.</ref> Marcel H. Van Herpen identifies Valdai as a [[soft power]] effort by the Kremlin in service of Russian foreign policy goals, with Russian leadership using the conference in a bid to (1) gain goodwill among Western intellectuals, (2) create networking opportunities between Russian and Western elites, and (3) "create a testing ground for the Kremlin's foreign policy initiatives."<ref>Marcel H. Van Herpen, ''Putin's Propaganda Machine: Soft Power and Russian Foreign Policy'' (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016), p. 59.</ref> [[Angus Roxburgh]] notes that [[RIA Novosti]] was important to the establishment of Valdai during Putin's second term, and that the conference plays a key role in the Russian government's effort to burnish Putin's image and influence outsiders.<ref>Angus Roxburgh, ''The Strongman: Vladimir Putin and the Struggle for Russia'' (2nd ed.: I.B. Tauris, 2013), p. 193.</ref>

Revision as of 20:50, 23 June 2019

Valdai Discussion Club
Company typeThink tank
Founded2004
Headquarters
Moscow
,
Russia
Key people
Andrey Bystritskiy, Nadezhda Lavrentieva, Fyodor Lukyanov, Ivan Timofeev
Websitevaldaiclub.com

The Valdai Discussion Club is a Moscow-based think tank[1] and discussion forum, established in 2004. It is named after Lake Valdai, which is located close to Veliky Novgorod, where the Club’s first meeting took place. In 2014, the management of the Club was transferred to the Valdai Club Foundation, established in 2011 by the Council on Foreign and Defence Policy, the Russian International Affairs Council, Moscow State Institute of International Relations, and Higher School of Economics.[2]

The Valdai conference is closely linked with Russian President Vladimir Putin,[3][4] who has met with the participants of the Valdai Club’s annual meetings every year since its founding.[5] Among many other Russian Government officials attending Valdai meetings are Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister and former President; Sergey Ivanov, former Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office; Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sergey Shoygu, Minister of Defence; and others.[6]

Daniel W. Drezner, professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, describes Valdai as "a swanky high-level conference put on by the Russian elite."[7] Drezner describes Valdai as "the highest-profile Russian equivalent to Davos" and writes that the chief value to attendees is the ability to determine the official line of the Russian government, although attendance also risks "greater legitimacy on a government that has been accused of some less-than-legitimate activities as of late."[7] Nikolay Petrov of the Carnegie Moscow Center identified Valdai as "a project used as blatant propaganda by the Kremlin" while Russian sociologist Lilia Shevtsova criticized the Valdai conferences in an article entitled "Putin's Useful Idiots."[8] Marcel H. Van Herpen identifies Valdai as a soft power effort by the Kremlin in service of Russian foreign policy goals, with Russian leadership using the conference in a bid to (1) gain goodwill among Western intellectuals, (2) create networking opportunities between Russian and Western elites, and (3) "create a testing ground for the Kremlin's foreign policy initiatives."[9] Angus Roxburgh notes that RIA Novosti was important to the establishment of Valdai during Putin's second term, and that the conference plays a key role in the Russian government's effort to burnish Putin's image and influence outsiders.[10]

Professors and scholars from major world universities and think tanks participate in Valdai.[2][11] The Valdai Club also operates regional programmes – Asian,[12] Mid-Eastern [13] and Euro-Atlantic Dialogues.[14] The Club also holds a special session at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.[15] and Eastern Economic Forum.

See also

References

  1. ^ Karen DeYoung & David Filipov (April 7, 2017). "Expectations of a new U.S.-Russia relationship were tanking even before missile strike". The Washington Post.
  2. ^ a b "Valdai Club Foundation". Valdai Discussion Club. Retrieved 2019-06-23.
  3. ^ Angus Roxburgh, The Strongman: Vladimir Putin and the Struggle for Russia (2nd ed.: I.B.Tauris, 2013), p. 193.
  4. ^ Nobuo Shimotomai, "Politics of Dictatorship and Pluralism" in Japanese and Russian Politics: Polar Opposites or Something in Common? (ed. Takashi Inoguchi: Palgrave Macmillan, 2015), p. 79.
  5. ^ "TRENDS: Valdai Discussion Club". TRENDS Research and Advisory. 2016-11-22. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  6. ^ Zabrisky, Zarina (2017-03-09). "NIXON CENTER— KREMLIN — TRUMP". Mosaic2. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
  7. ^ a b Daniel W. Drezner, Is there value in Valdai? I'm at a swanky high-level conference put on by the Russian elite. What is to be gained from attending?, Washington Post (October 26, 2016).
  8. ^ Marcel H. Van Herpen, Putin's Propaganda Machine: Soft Power and Russian Foreign Policy (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016), p. 62.
  9. ^ Marcel H. Van Herpen, Putin's Propaganda Machine: Soft Power and Russian Foreign Policy (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016), p. 59.
  10. ^ Angus Roxburgh, The Strongman: Vladimir Putin and the Struggle for Russia (2nd ed.: I.B. Tauris, 2013), p. 193.
  11. ^ "Valdai Discussion Club holds session in campus". East China Normal University. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
  12. ^ "Asian Dialogue: Future of Siberia and the Russian Far East Discussed in Singapore". Valdai Club. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  13. ^ "Speech by Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov at the 6th Middle East Dialogue Conference "The Middle East: When Will Tomorrow Come?" held by the Valdai International Discussion Club, Moscow". The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Retrieved 2017-07-28.
  14. ^ Weitz, Richard (10 November 2016). "Perspectives At The Valdai Conference On Russia, Europe And The United States: What Will Be Impact Of The Coming To Power Of President Elect Trump?". Second Line of Defense. Retrieved 2017-07-27.
  15. ^ "Results of Day One of the XX Anniversary Forum". St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. Retrieved 2017-07-28.

55°44′14″N 37°38′06″E / 55.737139°N 37.635055°E / 55.737139; 37.635055

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