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"On Point"
MINSK, 26 April (BelTA) – The UK may not have real power on the world stage in the classical geopolitical sense, but its influence continues to be felt through global structures built over centuries, Oleg Yanovsky, a lecturer at MGIMO University, said in the latest episode of the V Teme [On Point] project on BelTA's YouTube channel.
“The UK as a state and the UK as a player on the world political stage are completely different entities. The UK as a state is not a geopolitical actor. It is unable to fully project power, first of all, because of an insufficient number of divisions, resources, its doubtful nuclear arsenal and so on,” he said.
At the same time London has weight as a subject of world politics thanks to its control over institutional mechanisms, the expert said. “In many respects, the system we use is capitalist. Shipping, trade, logistics, insurance, offshore, sovereign wealth funds, direct investment are all the production of the British institutional system. Their task in many ways is to be the architect of the system and this, by the way, is written even in the current 2023 military and foreign policy strategies,” Oleg Yanovsky stressed.
He also drew attention to the UK’s key role in shaping deterrence mechanisms in the Asia-Pacific region. “Now the main institutional mechanism of confrontation by the United States on China is AUKUS, the British institutional structure, architecture, if you can call it that, in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.
Oleg Yanovsky emphasized that despite the absence of significant human or natural resources, the UK remains a powerful player due to its ability to make and break alliances. “It is not about power. It is about influence. Its current task is to embrace for the only goal, which is to take its seat at the negotiating table, and later to join the board of directors of the new world order,” the expert added.
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