The Sochi Dialogue has released a new interview featuring the Forum’s Director, Maria Matveeva, and renowned Russian expert on German studies Artem Sokolov—Candidate of Historical Sciences, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for International Studies, and Associate Professor at the MGIMO University Department of Diplomacy.

Artem Sokolov is widely recognized for his expertise on the domestic and foreign policies of Germany and Austria, as well as the history and current state of these countries’ relations with Russia. Fittingly, the two speakers first met at the St. Petersburg Russian-German Dialogue, a long-standing civil society platform in which Artem has been an active participant for many years.

Key topics of the conversation:

The future of public diplomacy. The speakers explored the evolution of civil society dialogue formats, their current role, and possible directions for future development.

 Bilateral relations. They exchanged views on the prospects for Russia’s relations with Germany and Austria in a changing international environment.

 Youth engagement. Particular attention was given to international youth exchanges and the role of the younger generation in sustaining long-term international ties.

“The conversation turned out to be lively, humorous, and at the same time highly academic. I took away many valuable insights myself, including for my doctoral research. I hope you will also find it engaging and worthwhile. Enjoy watching!”

— Maria Matveeva, Director of the Sochi Dialogue

The Sochi Dialogue extends its sincere gratitude to the MGIMO Television Studio team for their professional technical support and outstanding work throughout the filming process.

Full interview is available by the link!