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international

tenure at the Russian Permanent Mission to the I believe that the main reason behind this
UN in New York from 1992 to 1997 and again notion is the unwillingness and inability of
from 1999 to 2004 was a major milestone in my a narrow group of Western states to let go of
career. Multilateral diplomacy is dynamic and their diminishing hegemony in global affairs
demands a high degree of efficiency. It taught me as the world evolves and becomes increasingly
to communicate effectively with a diverse range multipolar. The “collective West”, as we call it,
of people, understand their approaches, and with its key decision-makers in Washington
collaborate on how we can work together. and Brussels, struggles to accept the reality that
new major and emerging players in Africa, Asia,
In 2018, I was appointed as Russian Permanent and Latin America are now also shaping the
Representative to the UN Office in Geneva. international landscape. These rising powers seek
By that time, I was well-acquainted with the to pursue their own independent and sovereign
international Geneva, having spent a considerable foreign and domestic policies, reflecting their
period as Deputy Foreign Minister overseeing unique cultural and historical contexts, which
UN affairs and specialized agency matters. often differ significantly from Western “norms”.
Furthermore, these nations have distinct
Throughout my career, multilateral diplomacy security interests that must be acknowledged
has been a constant source of inspiration. It not and respected in any global framework.
only expands one’s understanding of the world’s
most pressing challenges, but also offers the Here’s a specific example. Recently, under the
privilege of contributing to solutions that shape chairmanship of Russia, the XVI BRICS Summit
our collective future. was held in Kazan, which was attended by
the leaders of more than 30 countries and six
Your Excellency, you have a long diplomatic international organizations. The Declaration
career behind you. Looking back over the years, adopted at this representative forum reflects
how do you view the evolution of diplomacy, and the common positions on all current issues of
what can you say about its notorious ill health international relations. It presented a visible
today? resolution based on mutual respect and
Diplomacy, like the world it serves, is constantly consideration of the interests of all states, not
evolving. Looking back over my career, I have just a selected group of countries.
witnessed profound changes in the way nations
interact and address global challenges. In the As the balance of power continues to shift,
post-Cold War period, diplomacy experienced it is crucial for the international community
a renewed focus on multilateralism and to embrace this diversity and engage in
cooperation, with the UN and its Charter dialogue rooted in mutual respect and equality.
standing at the center of efforts to promote peace, Diplomacy must evolve beyond the narrow
security, and development. This was a time when confines of unipolar thinking and recognize that
many believed that diplomacy had the potential the legitimacy of the global order depends on
to transcend ideological divides and foster a the ability to address the concerns of all nations,
more stable and interconnected world. not just the privileged “golden billion”. Only by
fostering genuine partnerships, where all voices
However, as the geopolitical landscape has are heard and respected, can we hope to rebuild
shifted, so too has the nature of diplomacy. Today, trust and ensure that diplomacy remains a force
it operates in a far more complex environment for stability and cooperation in an increasingly
marked by growing multipolarity, rapid fragmented world. In this sense, the future
technological advancement, and an increase in health of diplomacy will be determined not
non-state actors influencing global affairs. While by the dominance of a single bloc, but by our
these changes have opened up new opportunities, collective willingness to work together toward
they have also introduced significant challenges, shared solutions for global challenges.
such as the erosion of trust between nations and
weaponization of information. Geneva has been -- and still is -- considered the
world capital of diplomacy. This reputation was
The perception of diplomacy’s “ill health” today enhanced through a very successful play that
stems, in part, from these challenges. However, opened in March 1987 in the United States, A

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