The Path to Multipolarity Runs Through Siberia

HSE University held the VI International Conference, ‘The World Majority towards a New International Order.’ Scholars discussed the development of a multipolar world, the role of the Global South in this emerging order, Russia's collaboration with countries of the world majority, the new role of Siberia in Russia's turn to the East, and closer expert cooperation to enrich the intellectual foundation of new principles in international order.

Olga Volosyuk

The chairperson of the conference’s organisation committee and Head of the School of International Regional Studies at the HSE Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, Olga Volosyuk, opened the event, noting that the term ‘world majority’ originated at HSE University and has gained recognition among global politicians and scholars. She shared that researchers from 18 universities across 14 countries, including directors of leading research centres, participated in the conference. Olga Volosyuk expressed confidence that the conference would contribute to studies of the Global South, individual countries and regions.

Sergey Karaganov, Academic Supervisor of the HSE Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, highlighted the regular nature of these conferences, noting an expanding array of topics and new participants. He presented a keynote report titled ‘Turn to the East 2.0 or the Siberianization of Russia.’

Sergey Karaganov

We need to realise that the previous model of liberal capitalism and its resulting world order has reached its limits. Russia’s initial turn to the East, launched in 2011–2012, did not reach full potential because it focused on the Far East while neglecting the core Siberian regions and their intellectual elites. Sergey Karaganov proposed initiating the Siberianization of Russia by creating a new spiritual centre for the country—its third capital—which would serve as a hub for managing the vast territory. ‘Our conflict with the West should not distract us from moving eastward and developing the second Eastern turn,’ he affirmed. Sergey Karaganov believes that discussions on a new capital and its location will accelerate the Siberian project.

He suggested establishing new research and production centres in Krasnoyarsk and near Yeniseysk, integrating science with advanced resource processing. Labour shortages could be addressed using robotics and by attracting workers from North Korea.

‘Our top priority is cultural work. We must recognise that our heritage comes from Byzantium, not Europe—our culture and roots in statehood originated there,’ Sergey Karaganov concluded. He believes the project can be adequately funded if there is enough political support.

In his plenary report, ‘The Middle East in the Emerging System of International Relations,’ Vitaly Naumkin, member of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Academic Supervisor of the RAS Institute of Oriental Studies and the Head of the Joint Department at the HSE Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, emphasised that Middle Eastern countries cooperate with Russia not only in the field of energy but also in advanced technologies. For instance, the UAE collaborates with Russia on space initiatives, and Egypt takes part in a programme carried out by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna.

Vitaly Naumkin

Russia’s Muslim community is a significant factor in cooperation with the Middle East, and at the same time Russia plays a considerable role in Middle Eastern conflict resolution. Vitaly Naumkin shared that the Institute actively studies the origins of Turkic peoples, with mounting evidence suggesting their homeland is in the Altai Mountains. He believes that the Siberianization concept should be broadened to encompass the consolidation of Russia's four key macro-ethnic groups: Slavs, Turkic peoples, Caucasian groups, and Finno-Ugric peoples.

Kirill Babaev, Director of the RAS Institute of China and Contemporary Asia, gave a report titled ‘Russia and China as Drivers of a New System of International Relations.’ He stated that the current system, based on the UN Security Council, is ineffective due to ongoing tensions within. It no longer serves the world majority, who lack a voice in the Council.

A future system might still be based on U.S. dominance, but this does not suit the world majority, particularly Russia, and this model is unsustainable.

Instead, the Russia-China model of a multipolar world, which emphasises non-interference in internal affairs, respect for traditions, and distinct political systems, has not had any alternative so far and could become a foundation for future global governance.

Currently, China aspires to lead the global order primarily through economic power, having launched initiatives like ‘One Belt, One Road’ to assert its leadership. However, Kirill Babaev believes that China's military-political influence is insufficient, and that the country experiences a lack of bright ideology.

China faces territorial disputes with many of its 20 neighbours. Furthermore, Southeast Asian countries resist Chinese dominance and find the Russian model of BRICS more comfortable. Therefore, China will be unable to build a new international order alone, Babaev concluded.

Shanghai, China

© iStock / Vesa Niskanen

Russia's military-political influence is significant and will continue to grow; it remains the largest nuclear power and has advanced unifying ideas based on traditional values and anti-colonialism. However, economically speaking, Russia is considerably weaker.

‘Russia and China, we need each other; we have a chance to build a new system of relations to replace the one that is crumbling around us. We share a similar vision on the value system of the future world and can create a platform to unite the world majority. This cannot be achieved alone, and no one else can do it,’ Kirill Babaev concluded.

Olga Volosyuk asked whether China and those Middle Eastern countries mentioned in the presentations are ready for Russia's turn to the East and how they perceive it.

According to Kirill Babaev, Southeast Asian countries still see Russia as a European power, but Russia’s self-identification as a bastion of traditional European values helps to bring the country’s stance closer to that of the region's states.

Alexey Kuznetsov, Director of the Institute of Scientific Information for Social Sciences (INION) of the Russian Academy of Sciences and a corresponding member of the RAS, presented a report titled ‘Dialogue among Social Scientists of the World Majority as a Foundation for Building a New World Order.’ He emphasised that developing the global majority without a technological breakthrough is challenging, but equally important is the intellectual enrichment of the future world.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

© iStock / abdelrazek

According to Alexey Kuznetsov, the search for equal cooperation is essential, but it will be successful only with a solid foundation. The current challenges being faced still outnumber available opportunities, particularly in regards to insufficient infrastructure for R&D collaborations. In this situation, the scholar believes that a rephrased version of Napoleon's words rings true: those who do not wish to finance their own social scientists will be forced to rely on others' ideas and solutions.

Among existing problems, Alexey Kuznetsov mentioned the lack of clear roadmaps for collaboration between scholars and researchers in the humanities, despite having a general agreement on scientific and technical cooperation. There are no funding competitions for multinational research teams within the Russian Science Foundation (RSF).

According to him, attempts to portray BRICS and other communities as anti-Western should be abandoned. Instead, BRICS should be presented as an alternative for developing concrete solutions for socio-economic development and growth in other important areas. The goal is to demonstrate the inapplicability of Western models in many countries, promote non-Western intellectual concepts, and develop higher education programmes to strengthen cooperation among countries in the Global South.

It is necessary to intensify humanitarian contacts within the Global South, creating the foundation for a multipolar world, summarised Alexey Kuznetsov.

At the plenary session, scholars from India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Kenya, Argentina, and Moldova shared perspectives on their countries' roles and the broader Global South in the emerging world order. The conference proceeded with discussions across various sections.