Contemporary Russian imperialism is based not only on military and economic instruments but also largely on cultural conditions that oppose progressivism and liberal modernity. It is founded on conservative counter-revolution and anti-modernism, which contribute to the destabilisation of the liberal-democratic order and are one of the key factors in the geopolitical failures of the West in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans, for example, in Belarus, Georgia, Serbia, and Hungary.
Pauperisation, growing social inequalities, class divisions, and permanent exclusion create fertile ground for pro-Russian narratives, reinforced by anti-elitism, democracy backsliding, and the progressive autocratisation of political life. The religious component, deeply integrated with the idea of Moscow’s ‘civilisational’ and spiritual leadership, also plays an important role.
The effectiveness of these influences depends on the degree to which they are socially rooted in individual countries in the region, as well as on Russia’s ability to use cultural, negative soft power as a tool for long-term political and symbolic interference.
Panel „Geopolitical Failures of Europe”