Russian Foreign Policy: East or West?

Two Russian diplomats, Vyacheslav Matuzov and Gleb Ivaschentsev, discuss how Russia should foster ties with China without alienating other Asia-Pacific countries concerned about Beijing’s assertive foreign policy.

During the meeting with ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions in Moscow at the beginning of July the Russian President has outlined the priorities of Russia's foreign policy. Touching upon Russia's relations with China, Vladimir Putin said they shouldn't threaten Russia's relations with other Asia-Pacific countries, including Vietnam, India and Japan, who are being concerned about China’s assertive foreign policy. Vyacheslav Matuzov, a former diplomat, and an international affairs analyst and Gleb Ivaschentsev, a former ambassador of Russia to South Korea, and Deputy Head of the Russia APEC studies center share their thoughts on the issue with the Voice of Russia's Agree or Desagree.