“As long as Russia is not subject to systemic sanctions, which could bring an artificial limit to our economy's access to dollars...then I don't think Russia will take any steps in order to bring about artificial de-dollarization," the Financial Times quoted Andrei Belousov, economic adviser to Mr. Putin, as saying.[7] Yet one cannot rule out the possibility for exacerbation of the crisis in relations with the United States. If a real confrontation begins, Russia will seek to use objective weaknesses of the world leader. If Moscow sides with advocates of a revision of the current international system, which it has never supported before, this may significantly change the global balance of power. Russia may pool its capabilities with those of China—not in the military sphere, as only fringe Russian politicians propose, but in their approaches to global governance. As masters of judo teach, it is better to not rely on one’s own strength but to instead use your opponent’s strength against him. Formulating an alternative approach to global governance when disappointment over the present leader’s approaches is increasing is consistent with this teaching. Russia can become a catalyst of this process, which has already begun. This does not guarantee an immediate effect, but it could be quite successful over time.

Fyodor Lukyanov is editor in chief of the journal Russia in Global Affairs and Chairman of Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy.

[1] "Don't Tease the Bear: Russia's Retaliatory Sanctions Have Teeth," Alexey Fenenko, Russia Direct, April 3, 2014, available at http://www.russia-direct.org/content/dont-tease-bear-russias-retaliatory...

[2] See, for example, Charles Kupchan and Adam Mount, “The Autonomy Rule,” Democracy Journal No. 12 (Spring 2009), available at http://www.democracyjournal.org/12/6680.php.

[3] See Ivan Safranchuk, “Traveling in Different Boats,” Russia in Global Affairs No. 4 (October – December 2008), available at http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/n_11888.

[4] Leonid Grigoriev and Alexandra Morozkina, "Different Economies, Similar Problems," Russia in Global Affairs, June 30, 2013, available at  http://eng.globalaffairs.ru/number/Different-Economies-Similar-Problems-16051

[5] "Siluanov: Russia and China Will Establish a Joint Rating Agency," Vedomosti, June 3, 2014, available at http://www.vedomosti.ru/finance/news/27301271/siluanov-rossiya-i-kitaj-s... (In Russian).

[6] "Russian Companies Prepare to Pay for Trade in Renminbi," Jack Farchy and Kathrin Hille, Financial Times, June 8, 2014, available at http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/9f686816-ed51-11e3-abf3-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3A79iXllB

[7] "Russian Companies Prepare to Pay for Trade in Renminbi," Farchy and Hille, Financial Times, Op. Cit.

Image: Kremlin website