April 9, 2026
168TVof “Trigger” the guest of the program Russian political scientist Rostislav Ishchenko is:
Key issues of global politics and international security were touched upon during the conversation: US strategy in the Middle East and possible escalation around Iran, including scenarios of limited wars and the transformation of “red lines” in world politics.
The role of Washington and Europe in the Ukrainian conflict, the degree of independence of European elites and their place in the new architecture of international relations, as well as the evolution of Russian foreign policy, the reasons for changing the format of confrontation with the West, and the assessment of the effectiveness of Moscow’s current strategy were discussed.
Particular attention was paid to the regional dynamics of the Middle East, Iran’s strategy, the role of proxy forces and the risks of further escalation, as well as the possibility of expanding conflict zones, including South Asia and the Pacific region.
The hypothesis of the transition of the world to the state of “war of all against all”, the consumption of global resources and the logic of temporary victories in the conditions of systemic crisis were discussed.
Within the framework of the project, the ongoing processes in the South Caucasus were also observed. The balance of influence of Russia and Turkey, possible scenarios of regional destabilization, Armenia’s geopolitical choice and its potential for multi-vector policy, taking into account economic and energy constraints. A special reference was made to the place of small states in the developing world order, between the balancing strategy, the struggle for survival and the risk of losing subjectivity.
Hayk Derzyan
—