Opening ceremony of XXV Russian-American seminar «Stability and chaos: the role of the Russian-American relations in the coming world order» was held in one of the most beautiful halls of St. Petersburg State University. The participants were welcomed on behalf of the Dean of the School of International Relations of St. Petersburg State University, Professor Irina Novikova. In the speech, she stressed that during these 25 years, the system of international relations had changed dramatically, the unipolar system had been replaced by the multipolar system. Today, the relations between Russia and the United States were transforming in the environment where each member of the system was aware of its responsibility for the future of the world order.
"The fact that the idea of a such open scientific discussion platform was born in St. Petersburg, and existence of this forum during 25 years in our city, once again proves the special role of the Northern capital of Russia as an active participant in the Russian foreign policy at the regional level", - highlighted the Chairman of the Committee for External Affairs of St. Petersburg Evgeniy Grigoriev on behalf of the Government of St. Petersburg.
The first dean of SPbU School of international relations professor Konstantin Khudoley was at the origins of the Russian-American seminar as well as the Head of the department of American studies of SpbU Boris Shiryaev. Professor Khudoley noted that professor Shiryaev was not just the organizer, but also the mastermind of the project.
For more than 20 years history the Russian-American seminar has established itself as one of the most long-term joint projects, in which prominent politicians, scientists and public figures such as Mikhail Gorbachev, Irina Khakamada, Galina Starovoitova, Vyacheslav Nikonov, Sergey Tsyplyaev, Yliy Vorontsov took part.
The work of XXV Russian-American seminar was organized by sections devoted to a number of urgent issues of foreign and domestic policy of Russia and the United States: the regional security system in the Middle East; the presidential elections in the United States and prospects for Russian-American relations; Russia and the United States in the struggle against «old» and «new» threats. The special section was devoted to the research projects of young russian and foreign researchers.
In 2016 the USA was represented by the professor of the Department of Political Science at the University of Tulsa, Robert Donaldson and president of the Russian-American goodwill Association (RAGA) Vladislav Krasnov . «It is really hard to overcome the mutual distrust as old attitudes and stereotypes die slowly», - said Professor Donaldson. The presidential elections of 2016 in the United States drew attention of experts, professors, students and graduate students. Reports were presented on the various rankings of US presidents, the outcome of Barack Obama presidency, the immigration issue in the presidential race in 2016.
Professors of the Department of the American studies chaired and took part in the work of sections. Among them are professor Yuriy Akimov and professor Alexander Kubyshkin, Associate professors Natalia Tsvetkova, Denis Golubev, Ivan Tsvetkov, Nikolay Fedorov, Senior lecturer Yulia Boguslavskaya. The scope of their research interests includes issues of US policy in the Middle East, the US policy in the Asia, public diplomacy of the United States and others.
Traditionally, the Russian-American seminar was attended by distinguished researchers from MGIMO University (Moscow) and the Institute of USA and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow). At the plenary session the Head of the Department of Applied Analysis of MGIMO professor Tatiana Shakleina presented report on the future of Russian-American relations. Tatiana Shakleina is one of the leading Russian experts on US foreign policy and Russian-American relations.
The director of the Institute of USA and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences, professor Valeriy Garbuzov noted that today Russian-American relations had fallen to its lowest level in the history, despite the period of the Cold War. Garbuzov identified six models of Russian-American cooperation. The sixth model is dated by 2014 year. This is the reality in which we live. Both sides stand in extremely difficult and dangerous situation as the confrontation evolves due to the legacy of the Cold War. Nevertheless, according to Valeriy Garbuzov, it is necessary to look for the possibility of cooperation, «let it be selective, selective in some areas, but more such moments, the better».