While the speech was mostly dominated by domestic political and economic issues, the tail end dealt almost entirely with Russia's foreign policy and the challenges that the country is facing abroad.
President Putin emphasized that Russia's "Pivot to Asia" isn't just a hasty reaction to the West's hostility, but part of a long-term strategy that the country is dedicated to pursuing. His mentioning of China, Japan, and India is important because these are the three most powerful Asian countries.
The inclusion of Japan was especially interesting, however, because Russia doesn’t have a peace treaty with it, though President Putin is traveling there later this month for a landmark visit.
Andrew Korybko and Sergei Strokan are joined by Boris Volkhonsky, Head of the Asian Desk at the Russian Institute of Strategic Studies (studio guest), Andrei Baklanov, deputy head of the Council of the Russian Diplomats Association, former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and Fred Weir, Moscow correspondent, The Christian Science Monitor.
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