Interview with Irek Tavfikovich Suleymanov, Deputy Head of the Department of International Cooperation United Institute for Nuclear Research.

   The article dwells on the evolution of Russia’s international scientific and technological cooperation in relation to foreign policy factors. It focuses on aerospace cooperation: civil aviation, hypersonic technologies, missiles, and space activities. The study examines theoretical approaches to scientific and technical, military and technological cooperation, including the proliferation of advanced military and dual-use technologies, as well as the forms and mechanisms of cooperation. Particular attention is paid to export control and its transformation from the gradual expansion of non-proliferation regimes to “friendly proliferation” among allies. The first part of the paper examines the structure and dynamics of Russia’s scientific and technical cooperation through general statistical indicators. The descriptive analysis is based on the data on arms and military equipment exports. The second part of the article analyzes specific projects in the context of the changing political environment. It also focuses on the transformation of Russia’s scientific and technological system after 2014 and 2022: the curtailment of cooperation with Western countries and the intensification of interaction with non-Western partners. Sanctions, import substitution, and technology localization are also scrutinized, as well as the dynamics of Russia’s military and technical cooperation in the aerospace sector. The article notes the increasing role of non-state actors and cooperation within BRICS. The conclusion is made about the significant influence of world politics on the implementation of international high-tech projects, as well as the dynamic nature of changes in such projects. Further research directions are outlined.

   Using the term “Big Rip” as a metaphor for the disintegration of the global scientific landscape, this paper analyzes the sanctions pressure of Western countries imposed on Russia. The analysis groups the prerequisites for this rupture into key components of research cooperation: human capital, finance, competencies, infrastructure, technology, and reputation. In addition to the well-documented impact on Russian science, the authors examine the reverse effect of these sanctions on Western countries. They conclude that a Big Rip in Russo-Western scientific ties is highly probable. Sanctions have most severely impacted substantive scientific dialogue, particularly in mega science, climate research, and human capital. At the same time, Russia’s scientific cooperation within BRICS and the SCO is intensifying, fostering competing “scientific blocs” and accelerating the deglobalization of science. This development reinforces a shift towards the sovereignty of national research systems.

   This article is devoted to the characteristics of the development of Iran’s science, technology, and innovation ecosystem. In the context of global technological competition and the emergence of a new technological paradigm, studying the development strategies of countries striving for scientific and technological sovereignty has become particularly important. Iran is one of the most illustrative examples of such a strategy: for over four decades, the country has been building its own science and technology ecosystem amid international isolation. Examining Iran’s experience provides insight into the mechanisms by which its ecosystem has adapted to external constraints. The article is divided into three sections. The first part examines legal and strategic documents to determine priorities in the development of science, technology and innovation ecosystem. The second part analyzes its system of management. The third part examines the characteristics of Iran’s science and technology ecosystem. Based on data from the Scopus database, the publication priorities of Iranian researchers are identified, and an attempt is made to assess the extent to which national science and technology development programs reflect the actual state of affairs.

   The article concludes that, despite significant external constraints, Iran has achieved notable progress in the field of science and technology.

   The outcomes of this progress, as reflected in scientific publications, largely align with the priorities outlined in the country’s strategic policy documents.

   The article is devoted to the features of scientific and technological development of Egypt and prospects for cooperation with Russia. Egypt is committed to develop science, technology and innovation in order to solve its social and economic problems. Scientific and technological development of Egypt is determined by historically more developed scientific infrastructure compared to other Arab states, but chronic overpopulation (105 million people), budget deficit, dependence on foreign imports and external debt. The work analyzes the current state, priorities and management of the scientific and technological sphere of Egypt. In this regard, the author provides an analysis of the main regulatory documents governing Egypt’s science and technology strategy, including the Sustainable Development Strategy: Egypt. Vision 2030 and the National Strategy for Science, Technology, and Innovation until 2030 (as of 2019). The government’s objectives include the construction of science cities, the promotion of scientific and technological partnerships that combine the capabilities of science and business, and the creation of a favorable regulatory environment. Egypt strives to strengthen its position as a leader in scientific and technological progress in Africa. Current challenges include the need to increase funding and strengthen the material base for science and technology development; increase publication activity, the number of researchers, and their salaries; and create favorable conditions for the commercialization of scientific achievements. Egypt is heavily dependent on foreign research centers in scientific and technological development, which carries both risks and opportunities. The problem itself sets the task of diversifying the scientific technological cooperation. The article emphasizes that Russia and Egypt have untapped potential for scientific and technological cooperation. Based on the analysis of the Scopus database, as well as expert interviews conducted in Egypt during 2024, the author suggests energy, medical research and pharmaceuticals, computer technology, space and ICT, as well as water (and agricultural) research among the priority scientific areas for cooperation.

   This article presents an analysis of the Saudi Arabia’s science and technology policy in recent years.

   The research is aimed at studying the activities of the country’s leadership and private companies in implementing the priorities set for researchers, teachers and entrepreneurs in a number of documents.

   The goal is to bring Saudi Arabia to the forefront of science and technology not only in the Middle East, but also in the world. To understand the specific steps taken by the Saudi side to achieve this ambitious goal, the study examines the contribution of the Kingdom’s leading universities, enterprises and science cities to the scientific and technological development of the country. As a result of the conducted research, based on an analysis of the interaction of these entities with foreign partners, including Russian ones, the author offers a number of recommendations for expanding cooperation between universities, research institutions and leading companies of the Russian Federation and Saudi Arabia in areas of mutual interest. The paper also examines the niches that are already occupied by well-known foreign universities, research centers and companies.

   The article is devoted to management system of the scientific and technological sphere (STS) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The analysis focuses on the formal component of the STS. Based on regulatory documents, federal and regional development strategies, as well as general information about the state’s political system, key ministries and departments responsible for managing science and technology are identified. Special attention is paid to the form of state. The UAE is an asymmetric federation where some regions have more powers than others. This can be seen in the norms of the Constitution of the state, according to which there is a differentiation of emirates according to the way they participate in the formation of public authorities. Such specifics determine the regulatory and legal system of the country and the implementation of various strategies, including in the field of scientific and technological development of the state. It is noted that the STS management system is characterized by low transparency, and informal practices and governance institutions are of high importance in the state itself. The characteristic features of the political regime are personalism and patron-client relations that influence personnel appointments. Thus, key positions in the management system of the scientific and technological sector are occupied by figures associated with the ruling families of the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, namely Al Nahyan and Al Maktoum. In this regard, special attention is paid to the role of key stakeholders and informal relations. As a result of the research, key figures in the STS system were identified, their biographies and the degree of relations with the ruling houses were given. In addition, the STS management system is not considered in a vacuum, but in the context of the general political system of the state. The author takes this into account and analyzes the dynamics of the development of the science and technology management system in the context of competition between the emirates, as well as the current key domestic political trend – the movement from federalism to centralization.

   Thus, the purpose of the study is to fill in the gaps in understanding the UAE’s scientific and technological management system and to trace its transformation in the context of recent domestic political changes.

   The article is devoted to the evolution and current state of science and technology in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE). The paper examines legal and regulatory frameworks as well as strategic documents on social and economic as well as scientific and technological development, identifying the priority directions of state policy in this field. In addition, it studies the current conditions of funding and human resource allocation in the key institutions engaged in advancing the country’s scientific and technological potential. The study is complemented by the analysis of scientometric data from the international Scopus database, which serves to test the hypothesis if the publication activity of Ethiopian researchers correlates with broader trends in the development of science and technology in the country. The application of scientometric and network analysis methods confirms the existence of such a relationship. Structurally, the article consists of two main sections. The first addresses the preconditions for the formation of current science and technology development priorities as well as the present state of the field. The second presents findings derived from the analysis of a dataset of Ethiopian publications indexed in Scopus. The conclusion discusses the alignment between the identified trends in Ethiopia’s scientific and technological development and the corresponding quantitative scientometric indicators.

   The article explores France’s participation in international scientific and technological cooperation (ISTC) in the field of defense. It proceeds from the premise that the policy of France is characterized by variations between openness, which implies active participation in ISTC, and sovereignty, which means self-reliance in military research and development (R&D). The paper aims to identify the correlation between these two trends, as it uses the elements of comparative analysis and structural functionalism to study French and European documents on the ISTC in defense, and to summarize various interstate partnerships. It notes that on the European track, France counts on building a unified defense-industrial complex of the EU and promotes several types of cooperation with European neighbours, including direct supplies of ready-made weapons, joint development of advanced weapons, as well as the projects ensuring advanced integration of armed forces. Outside the EU, the ISTC is built around arms export: the case of India shows France’s readiness for a partial technology transfer. Simultaneously, the cooperation with the UK and Ukraine has gained momentum, but there is still a lot to clarify there. The article emphasizes that along with the ISTC, France resumes its own R&D (primarily on nuclear weapons), which can be explained by its uncertainty about the future of European defense integration, shortcomings of the formats in use, the activity of competitors, and the national tradition of military build-up. The article concludes that in the defense policy of France, sovereignty and ISTC (both within Europe and overseas) complement each other. Paris is likely to remain active on all the tracks discussed, although its ISTC with European partners mostly depends on political fluctuations.

   The innovative growth model has enabled India to reach the cutting edge of scientific and technological progress. However, the country faces serious challenges in the social sphere, including scientific and technological development (STD). Many studies have been devoted to India’s STD model, but they largely focus on quantitative indicators, while insufficient attention is paid to the problems of international cooperation. The article assesses the potential for innovative development in India and considers Russian-Indian scientific and technological cooperation. To determine the prospects for such cooperation, in addition to assessing India’s innovative potential, it analyzes international ratings and identifies factors stimulating innovation development: government support; public-private partnership, tax incentives, simplification of administrative procedures for foreign investors; support for high-tech start-ups. The significant contribution of government programs, as well as the leading role of biotechnology and the development of space technologies, are noted. The following problems in R&D are described: a relatively small contribution of private sector companies to total funding; low level of university participation; insufficient development of professional training for the development and implementation of innovations; limited communication between industry and academia; human capital flight; uneven R&D funding across states. The article also describes the legal framework for bilateral cooperation between India and Russia, as well as multilateral cooperation within BRICS. It notes that over more than fifty years of collaboration, India and Russia have successfully implemented numerous joint scientific and technological projects, but the potential for bilateral cooperation is still far from exhausted.

   Energy security has become a defining factor in contemporary international relations, with nuclear energy playing a critical role in long-term diversification strategies. Today, Russia possesses one of the most geographically diversified portfolios of cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

   The purpose of this study is to identify how Russia influences different regions in the field of energy security through its nuclear projects.

   The basic research method is content-analysis of the annual reports of Atomenergoprom JSC for 2018–2023, conducted in MAXQDA. More than 1,300 text segments referring to 41 partner countries were coded and grouped into eight regional clusters. Each cluster was further classified by the main areas of cooperation: nuclear projects; nuclear fuel and the fuel cycle; technological innovation; operation and maintenance. The results show that Russia’s nuclear strategy exhibits regional variation. Post-socialist Eastern and Central Europe countries as well as post-Soviet Eastern European countries remain the core of the strategy, ranging from the construction of new power units to the modernization of existing plants. The Middle East and North Africa, as well as South Asia, form the most active clusters with large multi-unit projects that support diversification of the energy mix in Turkey, Egypt, India, and Bangladesh. In East and Southeast Asia, extensive cooperation with China stands out on water-water energetic reactors and fast reactors. In Central Asia, traditional formats of uranium mining are combined with plans for nuclear power plants construction and the deployment of Small modular reactors. Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa represent new directions, focused on research centers, while in Western Europe and North America, after 2022, limited cooperation has shifted to structural competition.

   Book review: Karp, Alexander C., Zamiska Nicholas W. The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, Future of the West. Random House, 2025. 320 p.