Статьи журнала - Вестник ВолГУ. Серия: История. Регионоведение. Международные отношения
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The main obstacles to EU public diplomacy in China
Статья научная
Introduction. The article is devoted to the key obstacles that complicate the implementation of public diplomacy programmes of the European Union in China. The relevance of this study is due to the existing efforts of Brussels to significantly strengthen its political influence not only in the countries neighbouring the EU but also in the Asia-Pacific region. Methods . The methodological basis of the research is social constructivism (the concept of “Normative Power Europe”), which pays great attention to norms in international relations. The empirical basis of the study involves official EU documents, expert reports and publications of Russian and foreign scholars. Analysis. The article examines the main actors and areas of public diplomacy of the European Union in China. The impact of restrictive measures by the Chinese government on EU public diplomacy as well as the EU foreign policy strategy towards China are analyzed. Results . In China, the EU’s public diplomacy faces a set of different challenges: administrative barriers from the Chinese government; ambivalence of the EU’s foreign policy towards China; the shortcomings of the existing EU public diplomacy system (lack of financial and human resources as well as a “mediocre” assessment of the effectiveness of public diplomacy programmes). According to the authors, the commitment of the EU political elites to certain values and norms that constitute “Normative Power Europe” creates serious challenges for the implementation of the EU’s public diplomacy in China. Authors’ contribution. K.A. Morari identified key actors and areas of public diplomacy of the European Union in China. In addition, A.N. Marchukov highlighted the main obstacles that hinder Brussels’ attempts to “win the hearts and minds” of the Chinese public.
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The materials for craniology of the northern samodians
Статья научная
A small sample of paleoanthropological materials from the burial grounds Buchta Nakhodka 2 and Yumadoto 1 in the Yamal Peninsula (Yamal district of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug of Tyumen Region) has been studied in order to specify the nature of intra-group and inter-population variability. The morphological features of the skulls indicate their belonging to the eastern Mongoloid anthropological formation, but in terms of the nasal bridge structure, they at the same time tend to the western Caucasoid population. According to the results of multidimensional statistics, despite a high individual variability typical of the modern species of Homo sapiens, the range of variability observed in the materials from the burial grounds Buchta Nakhodka 2 and Yumadoto 1 is not beyond the scope of the inter-group variability typical of the Northern Samodians. A more representative sample of this ethnic group has been formed on this basis, which is taxonomically included in the Yamalo-Enisey group of populations of the West Siberian anthropological formation. Authors' contribution: A.N. Bagashev and S.M. Slepchenko have made measurements of skulls, analyzed the obtained data and have written the paper; O.V. Kardash has carried out archaeological excavations of the burial ground Bukhta Nakhodka 2 and has co-written the paper.
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The military revolution of Peter I - quantitative measurement
Статья научная
Introduction. The article is devoted to the analysis of the processes related to the modernization of the Russian army in the times of Peter I. Owing to the magnitude and historical momentousness of these changes, we have introduced the term “revolution” in lieu of the term “reform” used hitherto in historiography. It is significant and noteworthy that these processes took place during the regular frontline military operations of the Great Northern War (1700-1721), when the tsarist army faced the perfectly organized Swedish army. Methods. So far, theories of military revolution and neo-institutional revolution have been deployed to show the transformations taking place at the time. Without denying the previous research findings, we have presented the modernization of the Russian army in the first quarter of the 18th century in quantitative terms. Hence, we have chosen three issues - recruitment, armament, and the number of officers in the army. Not only is there a sufficient source base for these issues, but they also allow for the time function in the ongoing transformations. Results. The figures under scrutiny indicate that the success of these military transformations was largely based on the recruitment system, which was superbly adapted in Russia. This made it possible not only to establish a regular national army of more than 100,000 soldiers, but also to maintain its headcount during the war despite the losses that the army suffered. In this way, almost half a million soldiers were recruited in Russia in the first quarter of the 18th century. The article emphasizes the conditions that had to be met to establish an army that could match the Swedish adversary. A key element was arming the military with modern firearms. Thanks to foreign purchases, primarilyin the Netherlands, the rearmament was completed before 1709. The organizational structure of regiments, battalions, and rotas was also reorganized, so that the appropriate number of officers, non-commissioned officers, and military musicians was adjusted to the total number of soldiers. With the introduction of military discipline, it was possible to reduce the group of officers and musicians from 18.25% (1699/1700) to 10.15% (1711).
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The mysian spoils in late byzantine literature (several examples)
Статья научная
The ancient Greek literature used the term Mysian Spoils (Μυσ§ν λεßα) to describe some territories or properties that the neighboring and enemy armies could plunder without retaliation. More generally speaking, the term was used to describe the plunder, enslavement, and hardship in general. The term Mysian Spoils could be found in the works of many ancient authors, and it also became part of the rich collection of Old Greek proverbs. As such, it continued to exist and could be found in the vast array of various forms of expression by the Byzantine authors. This text showcases examples of usage of this term in the historical works by the Late Byzantine authors George Pachymeres and Nikephoros Gregoras, as well as the examples from the satirical text Mazaris’ Journey to Hades. The mentioned historians used the term Mysian Spoils quite appropriately, being aware that well-trained readers will not only understand the meaning of this expression, but also appreciate their own scientific knowledge of the literary heritage of antiquity. Pachymeres and Gregoras emphasized the basic meaning of the term, sometimes with elegant wit, as a designation of robbery, before which the defenders were powerless. The author of the satirical essay Mazaris’ Journey to Hades advanced further, turning the expression Mysian Spoils into the metaphor of a disease that beats the mortal body of the satire hero, with the typical color of a writer.
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Статья научная
Introduction. This article represents an analysis of the state of the Old Believers’ “schism” in the Don Cossack Host Region (Province or Oblast ) in the early 20th century: determining the Old Believers’ concords existing in the region, as well as their numbers and localization. Methods and materials. The empirical base of this article consists of a complex of archival documents, the clergy records, which represent the clerical documentation of the churches of the Don and Novocherkassk Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. The member churches, as well as the numbers of the Old Believers and their belonging to different concords, were recorded in those documents on an annual basis. This is the first time that the statistical component of the complex of those sources is introduced into the scientific operation. The methodological base of this article is represented by the principles of scientific objectivism and systematicity, which are traditional for historical science. Based on those principles, we could reveal and correctly determine the complex of historical sources, while their systematic study provided the opportunity to make conclusions on the state of the Old Believers’ community of the Don Region in the early 20th century, to reveal the Old Believers’ concords (persuasions), which were popular in the Don Cossack Host Region in the period under examination, and to determine their localization peculiarities). Analysis and results. As a result of the analysis, it was found out that in the territory of the Don Cossack Host Region there lived representatives of both concords: those who recognized the hierarchy (“ Popovtsy ”, i.e. priesthood followers) and those who did not (“ Bespopovtsy ”, i.e. not following priesthood). The former were represented by “ Beglopopovtsy ”, i.e. fugitive priesthood followers, and the Austrian (Belaya Krinitsa) concord, with the latter divided into “ Okruzhniki ”, i.e. followers of the 1862 Epistle, and “ Neokruzhniki ”, i.e. those who did not recognize it. The “ Bespopovtsy ”, along with a large group whose membership was not provided, were divided into “ Pomortsy ” (coastal church followers), “ Pomortsy-Brachniki ” (coastal church followers recognizing the marriage), and “ Sredniki ” (Wednesday tradition followers. As compared to the results of the First General Census of the Russian Empire, the Old Believers’ population had decreased in the region, still comprising more than 5% of the total number of the local residents. The major part of the Old Believers was localized in the First and the Second Don Okrugs (districts). Most representatives of all concords lived in the Cossack yurt (small settlement) in the stanitsa (Cossack village) of Nizhny Chir. The characteristic feature of the Old Believers of the Don Region was their conflict-free living side by side with representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, with co-believers, and with those following different concords.
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The problems of democratic governance in Latin America
Статья научная
Introduction. The article presents the contemporary problems facing governance in Latin America. The paper demonstrates that the fissures that weaken institutional and democratic stability in the region respond to a set of aspects subordinate to the crisis of expectations regarding the permanent promise of economic development. Methods and materials. The research problem was based on Leonardo Morlino’s theory of democratic unanchoring. We indicate that the objective of the work is to show five explanatory variables of the erosion of democracy, based on the historian’s classic documentary methodology. Analysis. Fundamentally, it shows 1) the high level of disaffection and discomfort with the political classes; 2) the risk of a new wave of populism and authoritarianism; 3) the implications of poor economic performance post-pandemic; 4) the repercussions of high rates of insecurity, violence, and organized crime; and 5) the problems in achieving regional integration and relevant global participation.
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The sarcophagus of a Nicaean emperor in Izmir
Статья научная
In this brief paper a marble slab fragment from Izmir in Western Turkey is presented. Originallyits description was published by Ch. Texier in 1844 and later deemed missing. We believe that it is an imperial sarcophagus and that it may belong to the emperor of Nicaea, Theodore II Lascaris.
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The struggle for Oregon during the 19th century’s late 30s and early 40s
Статья научная
Introduction. Oregon in the early 19th century was a sparsely populated territory, but it had a favorable geographical position on the Pacific coast. It was a strategically important region, which, thanks to the Columbia River, provided a connection with the interior of the United States and the Pacific Ocean. Spain, Great Britain, and the USA fought for the right to possess this territory. In historiography the struggle for Oregon has received insufficient coverage in a number of aspects. Methods and materials. The methodology used in writing the article is based on the achievements of modern historical science. The study is based on sources obtained from domestic and foreign repositories. Domestic and foreign historiographies are involved. Classical methods of historical analysis, including prosopography and document correspondence, were used to process sources and literature. At the same time, when studying the literature and processing the entire complex of received materials, systematic and comparative approaches were involved. The study itself contains aspects of an interdisciplinary approach. Analysis. The article deals with the circumstances of the rivalry for Oregon from the turn of the 1830s to the 1840s. It may be viewed in the context of relations between the United States and Great Britain in regards to British North America. In order to gain a stronger foothold in Oregon, the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC), in addition to the fur trade, engaged in a wider commerce through agriculture. The strengthening of this activity takes place simultaneously with the development of ties with the Russian-American Company (RAC). The circumstances of the preparation and implementation of this commercial activity between 1838 and 1842 are studied. The first full-scale American naval circumnavigation expedition was commanded by Captain Charles Wilkes (1798-1877).
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The third department: 19th century Russia's state security apparatus at home and abroad
Другой
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Статья научная
Introduction. The paper describes aspects of the transformation of neo-Ottomanism under Justice and Development Party (JDP) rule in Turkey (2002-2022), with a focus on the situation in Central Asia. Methods and materials. The article employs the case study method and examines the Central Asian vector of Turkish foreign policy from 2002 to 2022. Analysis. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, filling the political power void in Central Asia has been one of Turkey’s key foreign policy interests. This interest was reinvigorated by the domestic political transformation in light of the accession of the Justice and Development Partyin 2002. The neo-Ottomanism that formed the basis of JDP’s foreign policy, on the one hand, elaborated on the Ottomanism of the last century and, on the other hand, mirrored the changes in the political system of the country after 2013, such as the authoritarianization of the ruling regime and the rise of Islam as a tool for public support consolidation. Results. As a result, the conclusion was drawn that over the past twenty years, neo-Ottomanism has come to represent a broadly circumscribed liberal economic approach combined with an appeal not only to the common Ottoman past and pan-Turkic sentiments but also to the Muslim present. Meanwhile, Turkey’s cultural and religious rapprochement with the region is driven by its strategic economic interests, for which Central Asia is an integral component of Turkey’s new international role. Thus, Turkey’s policy towards Central Asian states reverberates the outcome of the transformation of the neo-Ottoman discourse as a product of the country’s changing domestic political landscape while shedding light on the strategic priorities it encompasses: becoming a regional hub and a proactive regional power. Authors’ contributions. T.V. Marmontova - preparation of the structure of the article, methodology, and review of literature, M.B. Zhiyenbayev - “Regionalization” of foreign policy of Turkey and the place of Central Asia in the pan-Turkic picture of the world, E.A. Vaseneva - assessment of the policyof the Justice and Development Partyin Turkey in 2002-2022.
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The use of passive resistance during the civil rights movement: an interpretation
Статья научная
The roots of nonviolent direct action and the development into a powerful method of persuasion and coercion will be explored in an attempt to explain its distinctive role in the Civil Rights Movement. The paper will focus on the participation of the three actions, the political, the legal and the passive, in the victorious moments of the Movement.
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The venetian community in byzantine Thebes (1072-1204): a prosopographical study
Статья научная
Thebes is among the best-documented Venetian colonies in Byzantium, with records dating back to 1072. While it is widely acknowledged that Venetians played a crucial role in the development of Byzantine Thebes, the details about the Venetian community of the city remain largely unexplored, which has hindered a deeper understanding of the true extent of the Venetian impact on Thebes. To address this scholarly gap, the article examines the community using Venetian documentary sources, focusing on the works of R. Morozzo della Rocca and A. Lombardo. The study adopted a prosopography methodology, reconstructing and analysing the biographies of individuals and families in groups. The investigation covers the community’s leading families and individuals, as well as clergy and ecclesiastical establishments of special interest. Following this vein, the author of the article concludes with a more detailed picture of the Venetian community. It seems to have played a notable and persistent role in Thebes. Ecclesiastical establishments and the clergy constituted the basis of Venetian activities. Bolstered by reliable and sustainable sources of income, these institutions fulfilled the basic religious and administrative needs of the Venetian community. Apart from possible industrial and agricultural engagements, the community members predominantly emerge as active participants in commercial ventures, linking in particular to the renowned Theban silk textiles. While Venetians did form matrimonial and commercial alliances amongst themselves, their assimilation with the native Byzantine populace of the city seems to have been minimal.
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The visit of envoy Osip Nepeya to England (1556–1557): success or failure of Russian diplomacy?
Статья научная
Introduction. The visit of the Russian envoy Osip Nepeya to London in 1556–1557 is usually considered as the beginning of the official relations between Russia and England. In the light of modern views about the sixteenth-century diplomacy, this event requires a more thorough research. Methods. The Nepeya’s trip was traditionally viewed as an insignificant episode in the context of general reviews of bilateral relations concentrated mainly on trade. The reasons and possibilities of the military and political rapprochement between England, Spain and Russia in the 1550s, which was the most likely goal of the Nepeya’s journey to England, have never been investigated. Therefore, this article is based on an analysis of numerous multilingual sources. Analysis. The author clarifies the Nepeya’s diplomatic rank and certain previously unknown details of the Muscovites’ stay in London. He analyzes Nepeya’s mission to England in the context of foreign affairs of Ivan IV, Mary Tudor and Philip II Habsburg. Results. It is concluded that the rulers of Spain and England could provide military support to Ivan IV, but they were not interested in military and political alliance with the Muscovy and the war against Turkey. However, establishing official equal relations between England and Russia at the highest level, as well as obtaining trade privileges for Russian merchants was the main result of Nepeya’s trip. This allows us to conclude that the first Russian diplomatic mission in London was successful
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Статья научная
This paper presents three formerly unpublished Byzantine lead seals and an amulet that were examined in the archaeological museum of Izmir (nos. 1, 3 and figs. 5a-b) and Akhisar (no. 2) in western Turkey. They date from the 7th to the 13th century AD. The seal of a Manuel apo hypaton (no. 1) reveals the relations between the court of Constantinople and the city of Smyrna in the 7th century AD. Another one of Ioannes hypatos spatharios (no. 2) comes from Akhisar (8th century AD). No. 3 is dated to the 11th and 12th centuries AD. A lead amulet at the appendix part (figs. 5a-b), which perhaps originates from the Early Byzantine period, bears the name of Saba th.
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Transformation of the role of PMSCS in the post-international world and their classification
Статья научная
Introduction. The evolving landscape of international relations has witnessed a profound transformation in the concept of security. Traditionally, governments held an exclusive monopoly over the provision of security, relying on their military and defense forces to safeguard their interests and protect their citizens. However, the post-Cold War era has ushered in a paradigm shift, with non-state actors emerging as formidable challengers to this traditional monopoly. At the forefront of these non-governmental actors stand private military and security companies (PMSCs), organizations that offer a diverse array of military and security services to governments across the globe. Methods and materials. This comprehensive study explores the multifaceted world of PMSCs, categorizing them into three distinct types based on the nature of the services they provide: offensive, reactive, and defensive. Through an analytical-descriptive research approach and the innovative lens of post- international theory, this research delves deep into the role of PMSCs in an increasingly interconnected world. Analysis. The central question that underpins this study is the extent of PMSCs’ influence in a post-international world and their responses to the evolving global military security environment. It scrutinizes whether governments continue to maintain an exclusive monopoly over security and military operations or if these responsibilities have been increasingly assumed by non-governmental actors like PMSCs.
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Статья научная
Introduction. The article is devoted to the problems of testing the live poliomyelitis vaccine that took place in the 1950s in the USSR. The problems of the trials have again become topical because of the pandemic of the novel coronavirus. Methods and materials. Using narrative and historical-comparative methods to analyze materials from the archives of the USSR Ministry of Health Care and the digitized archive of the American virologistSabin, the author of the article looked into some problems related to the trials of the live polio vaccine. Analysis . As a result of the analysis of historical sources, the following problems of trials were found out: high risks of mass use of the live vaccine; lack of agreement between scientists and medical officials on the possibility and necessity of testing; difficulties in relations between an organizer of the tests (M. Chumakov) and some officials from the Ministry of Health Care of the RSFSR; the problems in Soviet-American relations which affected the scientific cooperation; difficult relations between the Soviet organizers of the tests (M. Chumakov and A. Smorodintsev); troubles that arose in relations between A. Sabin and A. Smorodintsev in connection with the politicization of the vaccination issue; ethical challenges of human trials. Results . The USSR took huge risks during the mass trials of the live polio vaccine, which was Soviet science and population significant contribution to the world fight against poliomyelitis. Mass trials took place in the USSR during the Cold War, which, however, did not become an obstacle to scientific cooperation between the USSR and the USA in this sphere. The success of the polio vaccine trials was used by the Soviet state to increase its prestige. At some points, representatives of the Soviet state and media even “forgot” that the vaccine was developed in American virology laboratories, calling Soviet organizers of vaccine trials its developers. Ethical norms of experiments on humans in the 1950-1960s were just being formed, so some of them could be called violations by modern standards. However, the success of the tests closed the question of those violations.
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Статья научная
Introduction. Turkey’s search for a new regional and global role in a changing world order has increased Ankara’s attention to the Global South, which was peripheral to its foreign policy priorities during the Cold War. Although Ankara’s growing engagement and influence in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region has attracted increasing attention from the research community, Turkey’s foreign policy in this region is still poorly understood. This article attempts to explore Turkey’s policy in LAC during the first decades of the 21st century, placing it in the context of Turkey’s increasing desire for “strategic autonomy.” Methods. The author used a case study approach to analyze Turkey’s policy in LAC. Results . After the Justice and Development Party came to power in Turkey in 2002, Turkey began a systematic effort to develop relations with LAC, expanding political, economic, and cultural ties with countries in the region. Since the July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, Turkey’s foreign policy has been increasingly guided by the desire for “strategic autonomy.” Growing mistrust and conflicts in Turkey’s relations with the U.S. and the EU have increased Ankara’s interest in seeking alternative partnerships and building situational alliances. Although Ankara’s growing ties with LAC countries (especially Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina) increase the autonomy of its foreign policy, Turkey remains critically dependent on the West, both economically and in terms of security.
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Twitter-дипломатия в формировании внешнеполитической повестки США в период президентства Д. Трампа
Статья научная
Введение. Внешняя политика базируется на стремлении государств к улучшению образа своей страны, распространению своих ценностей за рубежом, развитию международного сотрудничества. В условиях информационной эпохи одним из инновационных инструментов внешнеполитической деятельности США стала Twitter-дипломатия, активным сторонником которой являлся экс-президент Д. Трамп. Содержание записей Д. Трампа на его странице в Twitter отражает основные внешнеполитические цели США, реализуемые в рамках НАТО. Цель работы - на основе анализа принципов реализации Twitter-дипломатии (технологичность, многосторонность, активность, интерактивность) определить ее специфику как инструмента формирования внешнеполитической повестки США в рамках НАТО в период президентства Д. Трампа. Методы и материалы. В работе применяются общелогические методы исследования политики, методы теоретического и прикладного (проблемно-ситуационный) политологического анализа. Теоретической основой выступил сетевой подход в интерпретации М. Кастельса, позволивший выявить специфику отношений между акторами политики в рамках динамически развивающегося онлайн-пространства. Анализ. В результате политологического анализа логики реализации внешней политики США определен функциональный потенциал Twitter-дипломатии в процессе формирования внешнеполитической повестки в период президентства Д. Трампа. Выводы. В работе концептуально осмыслена категория «внешнеполитическая повестка государства». На основе анализа записей на странице Д. Трампа в Twitter было доказано, что посредством Twitter-дипломатии США реализовали в НАТО внешнеполитические цели по вопросам оборонных расходов стран - членов Альянса и противостояния России.
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Статья научная
Introduction. The following article examines the effectiveness of US sanctions on Latin America by analyzing three cases of restrictive measures against Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua. The correlation between US foreign policy goals and the interpretation of the existing sanctions results containing the official narrative is analyzed. This study shows that, from the point of view of promoting democratization and protecting human rights, US sanctions are ineffective. Methods and materials. The following research utilizes a constructivist approach when analyzing international relations. To a greater extent, this work is based on the theoretical approaches of Professor G. Hufbauer. Analysis and results. The following study additionally reveals that the US foreign policy narrative covers the erosion of US hegemony in Latin America. Within this narrative, international relations are described as a global rivalry between “democracy” and “autocracy.” The United States uses motives for protecting human rights and democracy to justify sanctions against several Latin American countries and also weaken ties with Russia and China. Author’s contributions. L. Sokolshchik and Yu. Sokolshchik developed the research design in addition to writing its content and general scientific editing. K. Teremetskiy made a contribution to the search for official sources and their analysis. The authors jointly analyzed all the content and results of the research.
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USA policy towards United Nations: the case of un PKOS in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Статья научная
Introduction. This article examines United States policy towards United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UN PKOs) by analyzing the U.S. position towards peacekeeping operations in the Congo (Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC) to trace the evolution and specific features of this policy over time. The article attempts to answer the question: is U.S. policy toward UN PKOs defined by only national interest, or is there more to it? Methods and materials. The article analyzes U.S. official speeches and documents, UN official documents related to peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, American foreign policy doctrines, and academic literature on U.S. foreign policy, U.S.-UN relations, and UN PKOs in the DRC. Analysis. American policy towards UN peacekeeping operations in Congo in 1960-1964 and 1999-2022 is analyzed to identify the main trends in the USA’s approach toward UN PKOs.
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