Russia’s recent foreign policy, following the breakdown of its relations with the West, have highlighted its connection with the Global South in a common struggle against imperialism, colonialism, and Western hegemony. Along with continued insistence on sovereignty and rejection of the West’s aspirations for dominance, a new narrative and strategy of ‘wooing the Global South’ has emerged. Although it has met a mixed reception in the Global South, it has widened the space for political maneuver there, and revealed a new ideological divide between sovereign internationalism and liberal globalism. While often construed as conservative, the emphasis on sovereignty is associated with radical European political philosophy and with the concept of freedom as self-determination, in opposition to the liberal concept of freedom. It thus has great potential to feed the new movement for sovereignty that is unfolding across the Global South.
“With international and especially Global Southern audiences in mind, Moscow has increasingly abandoned the attributes of Westernization, and emphasized commonality with the Global South against Western imperialism, colonialism, and hegemonic aspirations.“
“False labels like ‘rogue country’ or ‘authoritarian regime’ are already available, and are used to stigmatize entire nations and states, which is nothing new. …deep down, the Western elites have remained the same colonizers.“
“The narrative was clearly designed to gain support in the Global South, with carefully selected references to India, China, and Africa.“
“The South does not believe in the Western-imposed ‘rules-based order,’ and now has other options outside the West.“
“The emerging multipolarity and great-power rivalry appear to have reigned in the U.S.’s subjects in Europe, yet simultaneously enlarged the Global South’s room for maneuver.“
“The choice is thus between self-determination or political slavery.“
“By combining the protection of national cultural values with a critique of (neo)colonialism, the Russian narrative invites the Global South to fight for self-determination as an expression of freedom.“
> https://eng.globalaffairs.ru/articles/russias-sovereignty-sorensen/
