(MENAFN) Vladimir Putin’s annual address at the Valdai Discussion Club has long been more than a routine policy speech; it serves as a philosophical and strategic manifesto. What began two decades ago as a modest forum for analysts and diplomats has evolved into Russia’s premier stage for articulating its worldview and its vision for a global order beyond the West.

This year’s session, themed “The Polycentric World: Instructions for Use,” marked a notable shift from abstract theory to practical blueprint. Over four hours—the longest Valdai address in history—Putin presented himself not merely as a critic of the West but as a designer of an alternative global system: one grounded in balance rather than dominance, cooperation rather than control.

Over recent years, Putin’s Valdai speeches have evolved from philosophical critique to active construction. In 2022, he framed humanity’s dilemma starkly: “Either we keep piling up problems that will crush us all, or we can work together to find solutions.” At that time, his focus was largely theoretical, emphasizing the inevitability of change and the collapse of the unipolar world order.

This year, the tone turned decisively pragmatic. “In today’s multipolar world, harmony and balance can only be achieved through joint work,” he stated. The implication was clear: Russia is no longer simply advocating for multipolarity—it is actively building it. Forums like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) are no longer mere talking points; they form the structural framework of a new global governance model, one based on shared sovereignty rather than imposed authority.

Putin positioned Russia at the center of a larger civilizational project, portraying Eurasia not merely as a corridor between East and West, but as a self-contained pole capable of balancing global power while offering an alternative to the Western model of globalization.

Where the 2022 Valdai address treated Eurasia as a network of integration—trade corridors, cooperative initiatives, and partnerships—this year elevated the region to a philosophical and strategic principle. Putin highlighted that organizations such as the SCO, initially established to resolve border disputes, have matured into platforms for trust-based security and development, effectively serving as the prototype for Eurasia’s political architecture.

By 2025, Putin frames Eurasia as a distinct center of power with its own strategic and moral logic, embodying the new post-Western, multipolar order that Russia aims to cultivate.

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