XV Kortunov Global Affairs Debates
Date: December 18th
Venue: Russian International Affairs Council
Moderators: Elena Karpinskaya, RIAC Director of Programmes, Daria Bozhko, Deputy Director of Creative Diplomacy, and Matvey Tsarev, a doctoral student at the Chair of Diplomacy of MGIMO
Welcome address by Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Academic Advisor, and Natalia Burlinova, Director of Creative Diplomacy
Expert jury: Anton Khlopkov, Director of the Center for Energy and Security Studies, member of the academic board of Russia's Security Council; Dmitry Polikanov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo; Konstantin Simonov, Head of the Political Science Department at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation; Uliana Artamonova, Research Fellow at Center for North American Studies of Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), U.S. public diplomacy expert.
Venue: Russian International Affairs Council
Moderators: Elena Karpinskaya, RIAC Director of Programmes, Daria Bozhko, Deputy Director of Creative Diplomacy, and Matvey Tsarev, a doctoral student at the Chair of Diplomacy of MGIMO
Welcome address by Andrey Kortunov, RIAC Academic Advisor, and Natalia Burlinova, Director of Creative Diplomacy
Expert jury: Anton Khlopkov, Director of the Center for Energy and Security Studies, member of the academic board of Russia's Security Council; Dmitry Polikanov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo; Konstantin Simonov, Head of the Political Science Department at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation; Uliana Artamonova, Research Fellow at Center for North American Studies of Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), U.S. public diplomacy expert.
Debate topic 1: Do sanctions efficiently help a country achieve its foreign policy goals?
Voting result before the debate: 78% "inefficiently", 22% "efficiently"
Speakers Robert Aboyan, a baccalaureate student at the MSU Faculty of World Politics, and Vyacheslav Anisimov, a baccalaureate student at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, argued that sanctions were inefficient instruments for achieving foreign policy goals. Their opponents Evgeny Kharyushin, a baccalaureate student at the Faculty of Marketing and International Cooperation, RANEPA, and Diana Sultanova, a baccalaureate student at the Faculty of International Region Studies and Regional Management, RANEPA, advocated the counter-opinion.
Voting result after the debate: 77% "inefficient", 23% "efficient"
Debate topic 2: Does the possession of a nuclear arsenal guarantee a country's safety?
Voting result before the debate: 62% "does guarantee", 38% "does not guarantee"
Speaker Roman Zhilin, a master's student at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, argued that the possession of a nuclear arsenal guaranteed a country's safety. His opponent Lev Panin, RIAC programs coordinator, advocated the counter-opinion and managed to convince the audience that the possession of a nuclear arsenal could not guarantee a country's safety.
The voting result after the debate: 38% "does guarantee", 62% "does not guarantee"
Debate topic 3: Middle East VS Global powers: who will introduce order in the region?
Voting result before the debate: 64% "regional powers", 36% "global powers"
Speaker Ilya Vedeneyev, a researcher at the Center for Middle East Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, debated that regional powers were able to resolve the local conflict. His opponent Leonid Tsukanov, foreign affairs columnist, PIR Center consultant, spoke in favor of global powers as possible conflict mediators. Mr. Tsukanov's arguments were more convincing.
The voting result after the debate: 36% "regional powers", 64% "global powers"
As always, the agenda of the debates was determined by the international events of the year, and the event gathered many well-known global affairs analysts.
Voting result before the debate: 78% "inefficiently", 22% "efficiently"
Speakers Robert Aboyan, a baccalaureate student at the MSU Faculty of World Politics, and Vyacheslav Anisimov, a baccalaureate student at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, argued that sanctions were inefficient instruments for achieving foreign policy goals. Their opponents Evgeny Kharyushin, a baccalaureate student at the Faculty of Marketing and International Cooperation, RANEPA, and Diana Sultanova, a baccalaureate student at the Faculty of International Region Studies and Regional Management, RANEPA, advocated the counter-opinion.
Voting result after the debate: 77% "inefficient", 23% "efficient"
Debate topic 2: Does the possession of a nuclear arsenal guarantee a country's safety?
Voting result before the debate: 62% "does guarantee", 38% "does not guarantee"
Speaker Roman Zhilin, a master's student at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, argued that the possession of a nuclear arsenal guaranteed a country's safety. His opponent Lev Panin, RIAC programs coordinator, advocated the counter-opinion and managed to convince the audience that the possession of a nuclear arsenal could not guarantee a country's safety.
The voting result after the debate: 38% "does guarantee", 62% "does not guarantee"
Debate topic 3: Middle East VS Global powers: who will introduce order in the region?
Voting result before the debate: 64% "regional powers", 36% "global powers"
Speaker Ilya Vedeneyev, a researcher at the Center for Middle East Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences, debated that regional powers were able to resolve the local conflict. His opponent Leonid Tsukanov, foreign affairs columnist, PIR Center consultant, spoke in favor of global powers as possible conflict mediators. Mr. Tsukanov's arguments were more convincing.
The voting result after the debate: 36% "regional powers", 64% "global powers"
As always, the agenda of the debates was determined by the international events of the year, and the event gathered many well-known global affairs analysts.