Researchers of the international relations history are periodizing their discipline by systems. The first system of international relations, the Westphalian, emerged back in 1648. The current one should probably be called the system of simulacra. A system parasitizing on the past, trying to imitate something, or rather, to play the ape with constant claims to originality and, at the same time, legal succession. Now the Russian Federation is mostly a kind of trendsetter and indisputable leader in promoting simulacra in modern politics.
The Kremlin regime, which hates the Soviet ideological heritage and the very ideological and political component of the USSR, is discrediting it by all means; at the same time, with undisguised aplomb, is trying to represent itself as the sole successor to the Soviet Union, making political conclusions from these, its own fabrications, and putting forward claims, based on them, to all neighbors without exception (and not only).
This year, imitation is affected one of the most significant achievements of world diplomacy and international law of recent centuries — the Yalta-Potsdam system of international relations, which determined until recently the development of the world.
Among other things, it was within its framework that the UN was created, the next anniversary of which we will celebrate on October 24. However, on the eve of jubilee, Russia has decided to oppose this great Soviet achievement, initiating some Summit-5 under the name of Yalta-2.
Speculating on the name of the treaty that in far 1945 made it possible to stabilize the international situation, Putin, from the very beginning of this year and under any pretext, has been trying to gather the leaders of the UN Security Council’s five permanent members, calling this meeting Yalta-2. And, as usual, with the exact opposite goal.
During the period of hybrid wars, Putin and his Russia are trying in every possible way to destabilize the global order and successfully cope with it. Let us recall, at least, his speech a-la Hitler on May 9 (another sacrilege), where the newly minted Fuhrer threatened the world with a major war. However, in this case, the role of the arsonist is quite logical. It is the maximum destabilization that can eliminate, if not the sanctions themselves, but at least part of their consequences.
Putin wants another “zeroing”, “zeroing” of his violations of international law and a change in the mechanisms of suppression and punishment of violating countries. Accordingly, the legitimization of their atrocities.
Constantly violating international law and seeking to break the system of the contemporary world order, Putin turns to historical experience, noting that the UN is following the path of the League of Nations, thus, the world order system is not as effective as it was after the World War II. Well, quite a fitting analogy. Putin is trying to become the gravedigger of the UN, getting it on the track of the League of Nations, which failed to prevent the Second World War. By the way, the League’s gravedigger was… Hitler, whose steps in international relations Putin is consistently copying (including physical resemblance).
By initiating the Summit-5, Putin wants to act as the global “hero” who initiated all of this and to be recognized as a world deterrent and fighter for peace. But Putin has an old notions — Russia no longer has the weight and influence that the Soviet Union has had in the “bipolar world.” Now there are other, much stronger and more influential countries than the Russian Federation, including in the region. From year to year, Russia is more and more difficult to call a superpower.
It is worth noting that the UN and its member countries did not consider the possibility of holding such a summit (Summit-5), did not make any decisions regarding it and did not give any mandate to the Security Council members to decide world issues for all countries.
Putin wants to adopt a new world order, but in the modern world, Yalta-2 is impossible, if only because of the UN Charter. However, the Kremlin is well aware of the simulacrum nature of its proposal. For Russia, convening leaders of the UN Security Council’s permanent member-countries is a political and propaganda step. Even if nothing is adopted at this summit, Putin will fulfill the minimum plan. Namely, this way he will try to break through isolation in the international arena (rather to demonstrate the appearance of such a breakthrough due to the very fact of the meeting) in order to legitimize his foreign and domestic policies (including “zeroing” his presidential terms).
Over the past two decades (during Putin’s rule), the Russian Federation has gained a reputation as an unreliable international player that does not fulfill its basic obligations to maintain peace and security. All initiatives and, hence, exercising the right of veto in the UN Security Council are aimed at covering up their own and others war crimes. For example — the UNSC resolution on the creation of an international tribunal to investigate the crash of the Malaysian Boeing in eastern Ukraine; UNSC resolutions on Syria; UNSC resolution on Libya. In general, Russia, as an unmerited legal successor of the veto power from the USSR, intended to protect peace and security, uses it in order to undermine the same international peace and security. Failure to adopt a number of important resolutions leaves the perpetrators unpunished and does not solve the problem of conflicts. This is confirmed by the ongoing conflicts in Syria and Libya, the obstruction of the investigation of the MH-17 case, the annexation of Crimea and the conflict in the Donbas.
But, life goes on, history develops. According to some scientists — in spiral order. In this case, it is worth recalling that after failed attempts to manipulate the League of Nations, Hitler has withdrew Germany from its membership. Now we are witnessing the maneuvers of Russian diplomacy to discredit the UN. That is to say, on Hitler’s example of the beginning of 1933. More than likely, soon we will hear speeches about the need for Russia to withdraw from the UN.