Can the Sino-Russian partnership withstand war and great power rivalry? Explore one of today's defining geopolitical questions.

Speaker: Richard Sakwa

Date and time: Thursday 03 September 2026, 4.30 p.m. -5.30 p.m.

Venue: 2041B Uí Chadhain Theatre, Arts Building, Trinity College Dublin

The Sino-Russian alignment is one of the most important global developments in the twenty-first century, but will it last? Does Russia under-estimate the implications of great power competition and, blinded by the historic grievances with the West, underrate the dangers of the Chinese embrace? Will it escape from the Western frying pan only to be burnt in the Chinese fire? These questions became increasingly sharp and relevant following the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian War in February 2022. This paper will provide some historical context and comparative analysis. Mikhail Gorbachev healed the Soviet-era split, Boris Yeltsin signed the Friendship treaty and border demarcation agreements, and in the early Vladimir Putin years the relationship was formalised in treaty form and to this day remains cordial and professional. The close personal relationship between Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping is of an exceptional historical character. Beyond personal ties, there are good economic and strategic reasons for strong ties, with Russia providing China with an increasing proportion of its energy, raw material and agricultural product needs. Defence cooperation means that their long border has become a source of security rather than confrontation. Sino-Russian alignment is a major strategic asset for both sides, but this is now tested by the war. Neither country seeks a bloc-type alliance, but will their alignment withstand the pressure of wars and unleashed American power?

Richard Sakwa is Emeritus Professor of Politics at the University of Kent at Canterbury, UK. After graduating in History from the London School of Economics, he took a PhD from the Centre for Russian and East European Studies at the University of Birmingham. He held lectureships at the Universities of Essex and California, Santa Cruz, before joining the University of Kent in 1987. He has written widely on comparative politics, international relations and political philosophy, with a focus on Russian and European affairs. His latest books are The Putin Paradox (Bloomsbury, 2020), Deception: Russiagate and the New Cold War (Lexington Books, 2022), The Russia Scare: Fake News and Genuine Threat (Routledge, 2022), The Lost Peace: How the West Failed to Prevent a Second Cold War (Yale University Press, 2023) and The Culture of the Second Cold War (Anthem Press, 2025). His book The Russo-Ukrainian War: Follies of Empire was published by Lynne Rienner Publishers in March 2026.

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