Where does Russia stands today: an overlook for the new generation

By: Contribution for syrializm

One of the most intriguing aspects when discussing the future of nations is how each country envisions its future and deals with the challenges and requirements ahead, especially when under pressure.

So, after all that has happened… what does Russia look like today?

How does it deal with various issues, particularly considering its fervent activity in numerous fields, especially successful investment in international activities continuously hosted by Russia?

It’s no longer hidden that the international elite seeking to maintain a unipolar world system has made tremendous efforts to isolate Russia on various fronts, while it has become evident that all these efforts have not yielded the desired impact.

We all see that Russia continues in its international role, which is more balanced, maintaining its position as a leading country in the world.

It has become clear that it is impossible to erase Russia from the international map.

It is impossible to remove the Russian state that is in a geographical area in two continents, with a legacy from the Soviet era that included all other continents, and its role in developing human resources, promoting thought, and enhancing political and military capabilities are essential on the international stage.

Despite sanctions and isolation attempts, Moscow maintains diplomatic relations with most countries worldwide, adopting the principle of mutual respect, unlike the master-servant approach followed by Western countries.

Russia, the heir of the Soviet Union, and one of the founders and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Eurasian Economic Union, and the BRICS group, maintains a balance that carries the attractiveness of Russia as a country, history, and geographical depth, with the Soviet legacy in confronting Western imperialism and supporting the rights of oppressed peoples around the world.

The world has grown weary of the aggressive policies pursued by countries considering themselves as the “judge and executioner,” who have laid twisted foundations for managing the world, labeled as “rules” and “international law”.

The existing unipolar world system imposes a system based on values that perpetuate the concept of master and servant, deepening the gap between wealth and poverty, with stark double standards.

In the current era, with astounding technological advancement, there are no more secrets, and the space is open to everyone, and since the modern telecommunications are the domain of the youth, and therefore the domain of the future, Russia got engaged with the young generation in this world by all the methods.

With an accumulation of recent events, young people find themselves in a governing position, seeing facts as they are, even if major media tools attempt to circumvent and falsify them, so people today lean more towards a world of justice and a new style of international relations that surpasses the thuggery approach.

The need of today’s youth is to provide more opportunities to truly explore the world, and if one of those destinations is Russia, it’s logical.

Russia is attractive because of its uniqueness, as it is characterized by a gathering that promotes conservative principles based on loyalty to traditions associated with the culture and history of peoples, and it also has a share in the path of modernity.

Humanistic thought based on the principle of understanding the other is the basis of the Russian approach in its discourse with the new generation.

Looking at the rich history spanning centuries, while accepting human achievements in human thought and participating in international efforts to develop human civilization, without losing the compass of belonging and pride in communal values.

Direct communication with youth and creating an opportunity that allows the youth of the world to be present in one place, where everyone participates in shaping the future, requires a country with exciting qualities, hence Russia is considered an interesting country in the world.

From this perspective, the continuation of hosting the International Youth Forum has been an important part of Russia’s calendar of forums and international events throughout the year.

Despite the complex international relations with Russia, especially with the Western world, facing challenging circumstances, Russia has not refrained from maintaining communication through diplomacy and sponsoring international events.

This is reaffirmed once again by the World Youth Festival to be held in early March in Sochi.

The festival will involve more than 20,000 participants, half of whom are young men and women from a large number of countries worldwide.

They will have a unique opportunity to meet their peers from different countries, learn about different cultures, engage in communication and idea exchange, and build friendships that will last beyond the festival.

Russia is a nation centered around youth; hence it builds its strategies today based on creating more opportunities for youth development.

The youth in Russia today live in a cultural axis where education is emphasized, enabling them to move towards the future.

This is also the case for youth in all countries worldwide, who look forward to benefiting from interacting with their Russian peers to enhance their awareness and capabilities.

As education forms the foundation, the Russian experience has become an outstanding model.

For example, last year, Russian schools sent around a million young men and women into the workforce, with 700,000 of them, or 70%, entering higher education institutions.

Overall, over the past years, the percentage of people aged 25-65 with higher education in Russia has doubled.

At the same time, the percentage of those with higher education degrees in Russia among the age group of 25-35 is around 41%, compared to advanced European countries like Italy at 27.8% and Germany at 32.5%.

The presence of young people from around the world in Russia is an opportunity to break the long-standing stereotypical image that Hollywood used to propagate against Russia and the Soviet Union in the past.

Moreover, the policy of blackmailing other countries, either by threats or using sanctions, has become a cheap way to exert pressure and influence today.

It lacks legal foundation and does not aim to achieve justice but rather serves as a tool to hinder progress and economic development.

Given that the economy and living stability are crucial aspects for the young generation, Russia presents its model in this regard.

Russia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), at purchasing power parity, ranks fifth in the world and second only to two members of the G7 – the United States and Japan.

From January to September 2023 (during the peak of economic restrictions), Russian exports to the European Union amounted to $65.3 billion, while imports were $59.2 billion.

It is noteworthy that compared to 2022, imports have slightly decreased by less than 10%.

Thus, the wise in the West realize that cutting off relations with Russia is utterly futile.

Naturally, when talking about the economy, its requirements, and achievements, efforts in developing infrastructure and public services align on the same path.

Therefore, the presence of global youth in Russia today is an opportunity to explore Russia’s potential and various projects.

Russia’s vast geographical expanse has sparked curiosity worldwide, and facilities such as the Moscow metro and railway lines, among others, have become a fascination for the world, making these facilities a real dream to see up close and use.

Russia has made tremendous efforts in safeguarding morals and values worldwide, playing many roles in maintaining peace and combating the Western model of double standards.

It continues on this path without obstacles, serving as an exemplary model for nations’ development without relinquishing values and ethical principles, while maintaining proximity to faith and adherence to customs and traditions that have been an integral part of peoples’ history and authenticity.

Therefore, as Russia continues its efforts to maintain peace and justice worldwide, Russian diplomacy steadily moves towards further strengthening relations with the rest of the world, offering opportunities for friendly countries to converge and cooperate further.

The West always diminishes Russia’s significance and continues its demonizing policies, ignoring the facts of Russia’s participation in international peacekeeping operations, with its rich record of over 30 international peacekeeping missions.

Here, dealing with the young generation, Russia continues its long-standing efforts to confront and combat drug trafficking, which is considered one of the biggest enemies of youth worldwide.

On the other hand, Russia has repeatedly emphasized its rejection of bloc mentality and Cold War mentality, calling for peaceful and consensus-based solutions to conflicts, while adopting policies characterized by credibility and respect for commitments.

Therefore, the tragic circumstances in Ukraine serve as an example of how Western powers have failed to adhere to commitments and agreements signed, as seen in the agreements reached for peaceful solutions, which have been repeatedly violated on the sidelines of the Minsk negotiations, as well as within the framework of the negotiations in Gomel and Istanbul at the beginning of 2022.

Moscow’s open and clear position on the most important current international agenda items garners sympathy not only among friendly countries, as referred to by political scientists as the global South, but also among a large part of society in Western Europe and North America.

Unfortunately, their governments have chosen the path of confrontation and continue to use pressure tactics such as imposing ineffective sanctions, as proven by Russia’s demonstration of their ineffectiveness and lack of usefulness.

The continuation of some countries’ hostile policies will only lead to more hatred towards the West from the youth of Eastern countries, the developing world, and the Eurasian region.

Simply put, these young people have heard the stories of their ancestors, their fathers, and their experiences with colonial Western powers and their past filled with bad memories, much of which still persists today in many parts of the world.