Canada’s viewpoint: Russia can do more

‘‘Today Russia’s economy is developing more actively than 15 years ago,’’ this opinion was expressed by Radhika Desai, a professor of political science, the head of the group of Geopolitical Studies at the University of Manitoba (Canada), in an interview with a correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza during the 12th session of the International Discussion Club Valdai that is taking place in Sochi.

"The intensity of modern Russia's economic growth is remarkable, and I am sure that the Russian government is able to exert more efforts in the implementation of development and industrial policies," she said. According to her, this is what is necessary in the current global situation.

"I think the Russian economy and the Russian government can do much more in order to use the potential that is available to them in the world economy. Nowadays, the global economy is becoming multipolar, and the potential of multi-polarity allows industry to develop independently," the analyst said.

A positive example is the formation of the Russian car industry. "Russia needs to modernize new sectors of the economy, because it is still too dependent on energy exports.

"You should do it in other possible sectors such as light industry and other spheres if you can do it in the auto industry,’’ she said.

In addition, the professor at the University of Manitoba recalled the role of education in the country's economy. "It is important to work on the development of education of the population and personnel. The level of education was very high in Soviet Russia. Now Russia also has a very worthy educational system, but you can do more."

According to Desai, the Western sanctions only support the development of the Russian economy and make the West suffer from them. "Western countries imposed those sanctions on Russia in order not to suffer from them themselves. But I personally believe that these sanctions haven’t influenced the Russian economy negatively. Even if there was a threat that Russia can lose the West European market, the Russian Federation has China and a dozen other countries to sell energy resources to,’’ she said.

A Professor at Carleton University (Canada) and a permanent member of the Valdai international discussion club, Piotr Dutkiewicz, believes that the EU has recognized the harmfulness of the sanctions for Europe itself. "It seems to me that there is a big difference between the approaches of the EU and the USA. The EU is suffering from these sanctions. It creates a big economic problem,’’ he said.