Political scientist Sergei Karaganov at the January Expert Dialogues: "Sanctions have hardened our country"

Western sanctions have hardened Russia and become a catalyst for unlocking its intellectual and industrial potential. This view was shared by political scientist Sergei Karaganov, Academic Supervisor of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the Higher School of Economics, following the presentation by the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation, Maxim Oreshkin, of a study on five megatrends at the January Expert Dialogues at the National Centre RUSSIA.

"Until recently, we relied on narratives created for other countries. Now, through the January Expert Dialogues, we are able to articulate our own approach to the problem and our own philosophy. That is why formats like this are so important," Sergei Karaganov said.

Despite the challenges for science and business, sanctions against Russia have contributed to its development, including at the regional level, Sergei Karaganov added.

"I believe that sanctions are a process we have been experiencing for more than ten years, and the need to work around them has hardened us. That is the first point. The second is that sanctions help our development. Paradoxically, this is not only because we began to focus on the economy, but also because we started to define for ourselves what the economy should be and how we should live. This is what can be called the sovereignisation of consciousness," he stated.

The January Expert Dialogues were initiated by the National Centre RUSSIA in partnership with the Centre for Cross-Industry Expertise "The Third Rome", with the support of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation. During the event, Maxim Oreshkin presented five megatrends that are already shaping the trajectory of global development for the coming decades.