300 Years of Confrontation: How to Build Relations with the Anglo-Saxons

The panel discussion «300 Years of Confrontation: How to Build Relations with the Anglo-Saxons», held by the Anglo-Saxon Club of the MGIMO Student Scientific Society on April 25, 2025, served as a crucial platform for a comprehensive analysis of the long standing confrontation and contemporary challenges in Russian-Anglo-Saxon relations. The discussion encompassed issues of international security, diplomacy, sanctions, as well as strategic partnership and multipolarity in the context of the current international crisis, with a particular focus on Russia-US and Russia-UK ties. During the discussion, experts examined the impact of the Russian factor on the domestic policies of the US and the UK, including sanctions pressure, espionage scandals, and the Ukrainian crisis, which significantly complicate dialogue and necessitate new diplomatic approaches. Current trends in international diplomacy, issues of nuclear disarmament, the role of NATO, and prospects for multipolarity in the modern world were analyzed. Particular attention was paid to the role of Canada, where the Ukrainian diaspora exerts significant influence on domestic and foreign policy, complicating bilateral relations with Russia. A key part of the discussion was the analysis of Russia-UK relations, characterized by cyclical patterns, espionage scandals, sanctions policy, and the influence of post imperial and Irish factors, including through the lens of the Belfast Agreement and Brexit. Participants emphasized that the UK acts as the ideological architect of the anti-Russian consensus, actively supporting sanctions, military cooperation with Ukraine, and promoting a negative narrative about the “Russian threat” within the EU and NATO. At the same time, experts noted the hidden competition between the US and the UK for leadership in the anti-Russian agenda and stressed the need for a pragmatic and realistic approach to relations with London. The role of former British colonies, such as India, in contemporary global politics and their attitude toward Russia as a potential economic and strategic partner was also discussed. Experts highlighted the importance of Russia actively expanding cooperation with these countries. Special attention was given to the influence of public opinion in the US on foreign policy formation, support for sanctions, and the perception of Russia as a key rival. It was noted that public sentiment significantly impacts decisions made by Congress and the administration, as well as the prospects for lifting or maintaining sanctions. In the concluding part of the discussion, experts examined the future of NATO, its internal contradictions, and its impact on the architecture of European and global security, including the topic of usurpation in Europe. Experts agreed that the alliance’s future largely depends on the transformation of US foreign policy priorities and the consensus among member states regarding Russia. Studying the experience of countries over centuries allows for a deeper understanding KEYWORDS of the priorities and principles of Russia-US and Russia-UK relations, acknowledging successful and unsuccessful diplomatic steps, and identifying factors that determine the level of international relations between states with differing interests. The discussion fostered a deeper understanding of the multi layered aspects of Russian-Anglo-Saxon relations, encouraged the exchange of views among experts and young researchers, and underscored the importance of developing new formats of interaction based on national interests, pragmatism, and diplomatic balance. The panel discussion contributed to increasing the interest of aspiring researchers in the trends of Russian, US, and UK foreign policy and to the exchange of views between experts and students alike.