Russia ‘lacks leverage’ for rivalry with U.S.
Russia lacks leverage for equal rivalry with the
United States, an Azerbaijani researcher told a conference held by
the NATO-Azerbaijan International School in Baku on Tuesday.
Elman Nasirov, head of the Political Research Center of the State Administration Academy under the President, said, that, if the economic and military potential is compared, America’s commanding more leverage is clearly seen. Thus, the U.S. contributes $13.4 trillion of world countries’ combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which amounts to $40trln, while Russia’s GDP is only $1.4trln. Moreover, the US military budget amounts to nearly 50 percent of the world’s total defense spending. Thus, $1.4trln is spent throughout the world every year for military purposes, with the U.S. accounting for $636bn of the amount. For comparison’s sake, Russia’s defense spending is below $100bn.
According to Nasirov, despite the staggering misbalance, Russia is currently the only player on the world stage capable of destroying the U.S. militarily. Therefore, Washington is having to reckon with Moscow in addressing certain issues.
Nasirov also said that US analysts believe U.S. and Russia have been lately adhering to a concurrent view about ruling the world. After Barack Obama’s election, the two superpowers agreed that the U.S. would cede its hegemony in the post-Soviet area to Russia. Nasirov says this agreement has resulted in the lack of Western pressure on Russia over the 2008 unrest in Georgia; the outcome of the latest presidential election in Ukraine, which was won by a Moscow-backed candidate; and NATO’s not admitting Georgia and Ukraine to its ranks.*
Elman Nasirov, head of the Political Research Center of the State Administration Academy under the President, said, that, if the economic and military potential is compared, America’s commanding more leverage is clearly seen. Thus, the U.S. contributes $13.4 trillion of world countries’ combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which amounts to $40trln, while Russia’s GDP is only $1.4trln. Moreover, the US military budget amounts to nearly 50 percent of the world’s total defense spending. Thus, $1.4trln is spent throughout the world every year for military purposes, with the U.S. accounting for $636bn of the amount. For comparison’s sake, Russia’s defense spending is below $100bn.
According to Nasirov, despite the staggering misbalance, Russia is currently the only player on the world stage capable of destroying the U.S. militarily. Therefore, Washington is having to reckon with Moscow in addressing certain issues.
Nasirov also said that US analysts believe U.S. and Russia have been lately adhering to a concurrent view about ruling the world. After Barack Obama’s election, the two superpowers agreed that the U.S. would cede its hegemony in the post-Soviet area to Russia. Nasirov says this agreement has resulted in the lack of Western pressure on Russia over the 2008 unrest in Georgia; the outcome of the latest presidential election in Ukraine, which was won by a Moscow-backed candidate; and NATO’s not admitting Georgia and Ukraine to its ranks.*
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