Portrait of Javier Milei
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Javier Milei on Russia

Pro-West alignment (strong)

TL;DR

Javier Milei champions a foreign policy strongly aligned with the US and Israel, resulting in frozen political ties with Russia.

Key Points

  • The president formally invited Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to his inauguration and later spoke with him, promising to collaborate on a just peace.

  • Argentina abstained from a UN General Assembly vote on February 24, 2025, that demanded the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, a break from previous votes.

  • He stated in an interview that under the emerging new world order, Russia will lead Eurasia, while Latin American nations should align with the United States.

Summary

Javier Milei has significantly reoriented Argentina's foreign policy to a firm alignment with Western powers, particularly the United States and Israel, which has resulted in a palpable diplomatic cooling toward Russia. This shift marks a departure from his predecessor's stance, which maintained a more balanced, albeit critical, relationship with Moscow. Evidence of this new orientation includes his administration rejecting an invitation to join the BRICS bloc shortly after taking office in December 2023, a move disappointing to Russia. Furthermore, Argentina broke from its previous voting pattern by abstaining from a key United Nations General Assembly resolution demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine in February 2025.

Despite the ideological rupture, high-level political dialogue has been described as 'frozen,' though the Russian ambassador noted that Argentina has not joined Western sanctions or sent arms to Ukraine, which Moscow values. While political relations have stalled, bilateral trade, characterized by an Argentine surplus, has continued, indicating a degree of pragmatic economic separation from the diplomatic rift. The president has also expressed a view that the emerging world order will see the US lead the Americas, Russia lead Eurasia, and China lead Asia, suggesting a recognition of Russia's sphere of influence despite his pro-Western alignment.

Key Quotes

The world order is being redefined. The US will now lead America, Russia will lead Eurasia and China will be the leader of Asia, that is, of the part not headed by Russia

... freedom advances

"collaborate on a just peace"

Frequently Asked Questions

The political relationship between the Argentine government under Javier Milei and Russia has been described as 'frozen' by the Russian ambassador in Buenos Aires. This diplomatic chill is due to Milei's strong ideological alignment with the United States and his government's stance on the war in Ukraine.

Yes, the stance changed notably after Javier Milei took office. While his predecessor voted in favor of UN resolutions condemning Russia, Milei’s government abstained from a key UN resolution demanding Russian troop withdrawal.

No, while high-level political dialogue is strained, pragmatic economic ties have not entirely ceased. Trade between the two nations continues, resulting in a trade surplus for Argentina, despite the broader diplomatic friction.