Category: Opinion

Although the tariffs have had a negative influence on Russia, it has not been directly affected by them. The reason for this is that numerous U.S. anti-Russia economic sanctions introduced since 2014 have already reduced bilateral trade to almost nothing.

Washington still buys some fertilizers and platinum from Moscow, but these purchases are not critically important for the U.S. economy and do not directly challenge U.S. local producers.

Though Moscow has a trade surplus with Washington, this surplus is negligible compared to the total $1.2 trillion trade deficit.

One could add that Cuba, Belarus, and the DPRK were excluded from the new tariff lists, and Iran got the lowest tariff increase of 10 percent, which was only half of the tariff hike imposed by the U.S. administration on the EU.

None of the above-mentioned established adversaries of the U.S. has many economic ties to America; all of them are long-term victims of U.S. unilateral sanctions, and they are now in an arguably comfortable position watching the incipient U.S.-launched trade war from the back benches.

Many such backbenchers are observing mounting strains in relations between the United States and its closest allies and partners. The so-called collective West is crumbling literally in front of their eyes and this crumbling clearly serves Russia’s immediate political interests.

However, there are reasons for strategists in Moscow to be concerned about more remote implications of the recent U.S. tariff decisions.

The precise impact of these decisions on the global economy is still hard to predict; but in the worst-case scenario, we could record a rise of global inflation, a significant slowdown in economic growth worldwide and even a new global recession followed by higher unemployment and a decline in real incomes across the world.

Responding to demonstrative U.S. unilateralism, major economic actors might be forced to focus on regional rather than global trade chains or to shift their attention to expanding their domestic rather than foreign markets.

Triumphal protectionism would limit the appetite and capabilities of major actors to work together in addressing common risks and challenges from climate change to artificial intelligence governance.

If such a scenario becomes reality, it will affect everybody, including Russia. For example, global demand for Russia’s commodities will decline, its energy and raw materials exports will start shrinking, and domestic economic growth will eventually go down due to growing trade deficits, depreciation of national currency, and higher inflation.

Suppose Moscow can count on short-term geopolitical gains caused by the emerging transatlantic rift. In that case, it also has to consider potential mid- and long-term economic losses linked to numerous disruptions within the global economic system.

On top of that, one should not forget that U.S. President Donald Trump continuously threatens to impose further restrictive economic measures, such as new tariffs on Russian oil consumers, on Moscow if Russia does not properly engage in U.S.-mediated Ukraine ceasefire negotiations.

However, the new U.S. tariffs raise another, a more fundamental question. If a decision by one man can undermine economic stability in the whole world in such a profound way, and practically all economies of this world depend on just one sole country with highly volatile and even unpredictable trade policies, it means that there is something seriously wrong with how the modern world economic order is functioning. What kind of order is it, if it is so easy to disrupt?

The world simply depends too much on U.S. markets, national currencies and U.S.-led financial institutions and trade practices. This abnormal dependence is not healthy even for America itself, not to mention its trading partners and competitors that are becoming hostages to arbitrary decisions made in the White House.

Can the world overcome this asymmetrical dependence overnight? Of course, it cannot. However, as Medvedev pointed out, “old trade chains will be broken, but new ones will emerge.”

There are many ways to gradually mitigate the asymmetrical dependence, expanding multilateral trade within such groups as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, introducing new international payment systems, enhancing the role of the World Trade Organization, promoting regional integration projects and so on.

However, none of these ways is easy; none offers magic solutions to the very complicated problems of the global economy and finance.

The road ahead will be bumpy, with many twists and potholes along the way. And yet, as Winston Churchill said during the darkest days of World War II, “never let a good crisis go to waste.”

The author is a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN and academic director of the Moscow-based Russian International Affairs Council. The article reflects the author’s opinions and not necessarily those of IGIHE.

In the hush between footsteps on the morning of the 7th, in the way the wind hesitates as it moves through the hills of Rwanda, something shifts. Something sacred. It is called Kwibuka.

The world may see candles, tears, and quiet gatherings. But for Rwanda, it’s the sound of hearts breaking all over again. It’s the echo of names unspoken and stories unfinished.

It is the week where time pauses, and memory sits beside every Rwandan heart, heavy and alive.

You may pass through Kigali, Huye, Musanze this week. You may go about your days, clocking in, cooking dinner, replying to emails.

But somewhere deep in the ground beneath, voices still speak.
Some were children. Some mothers. Some uncles. Some neighbors.
Some are laid to rest in memorials with dignity. Others in mass pits with none.

And yet, there is another voice.
One not from the graves, but from the spaces between conversations.
The subtle voice of forgetting, of avoiding, of questioning in ways that are not innocent.

But this isn’t about accusing.
It’s about asking.

Asking what is spoken in homes when April comes.

Because truth does not only live in speeches or public squares.
It lives in kitchens. In quiet family talks.
In the words chosen around the dinner table.

Sometimes, the words may still be trapped in your throat.
You may not yet feel ready to tell the full story, even to your own.

But even in silence, you can choose truth.
Let the television speak for you.
Let the radio fill the room.
Let the Kwibuka messages find their way into your child’s hands, on a phone, on a screen, in the quiet of your home.

If your voice trembles, let these voices carry it for you, until yours is ready.

Even that small act becomes a brick,
laid gently in the foundation of unity.
A quiet offering.
A future guarded by truth,
not only in public,
but where it matters most, inside.

A memory lingers

It was in 2015, near Rwamagana. As the bus passed by a Genocide Memorial, a young man, no older than twenty, looked out and softly asked,
“What is done inside there?”

The question fell into silence.
Not because no one knew the answer, but because in Rwanda, where memorials stand as sacred reminders, and each April 7th opens the nation’s heart to remembrance, such a question lands heavily.

I didn’t dwell on the silence around me.
I thought of him.
And of the home he comes from.

What is remembered there?
What is taught when no one is watching?

Denial doesn’t always wear a banner or march in defiance.
Sometimes, it’s just… silence.
Sometimes, it’s “they said something happened.”
Sometimes, it’s “why bring that up again?”
Sometimes, it’s a quiet reshaping of facts, a hesitation to use the right name.

And here’s where it matters most.
Not in courts or headlines,
but in homes.

In the corners of living rooms.
During school rides.
In the tone used when explaining history to a child.

Start there.
Use the name that carries the truth.
Say: Genocide against the Tutsi.
Not war. Not conflict. Not tragedy.
Genocide against the Tutsi.

That name carries weight.
But it also carries dignity, and healing.
It is a brick laid into the foundation of unity.
A house Rwanda is still building, stone by stone.

And here is a gentle ask:
Whoever you are, wherever you are, whether this is your history or not, help in the building.

The future of Rwanda doesn’t ask for guilt.
It asks for truth.
For honesty.
For the heart to find the words, and let truth rise, untouched, unchanged.

And this is where history becomes personal.
Not because one lived it,
but because one chooses what to do with it.

There are still those who flinch when April arrives.
Some turn their faces.
Some dismiss remembrance.
Others even mock the pain.

But to do so is to forget not only the lives taken by hate,
but the humanity left in the living.

Rwanda has come far.
Not by forgetting,
but by walking with memory, unhidden, unaltered.

And there’s still more to do.

If you can speak up when someone misnames what happened, do it.
If your family dances around the truth, be the one to bring it home.

If a child asks,
“What is done inside there?”
Let your voice rise and say:

“That is where the victims of the Genocide against the Tutsi are laid to rest.
That is where memory lives.
That is Rwanda’s heart, still healing.”

This isn’t about politics.
It isn’t about sides.

It’s about the soul of a nation.

And Rwanda watches, not to condemn, but to hope.
That its people, all of them, will choose truth over comfort.
Dignity over denial.

Speak it.
Even when your voice shakes.
Especially then.

Recognizing these patterns requires looking beyond surface-level interactions to spot the subtle contradictions and defense mechanisms at play. Understanding these revealing behaviors creates opportunities for genuine connection with those who are silently suffering behind masks of manufactured joy.

The disconnect between outward presentation and internal reality manifests through specific behaviors that serve as silent signals of deeper struggles including some of these.

Smiles without authenticity

If you watch a person faking happiness closely, you will notice the emptiness behind their upturned lips. Genuine smiles activate distinctive facial muscles around the eyes, a “Duchenne” mark that can’t be consistently faked.

People masking inner pain often perfect the mouth-only smile, a performance that appears correct at first glance but lacks emotional resonance. Their expressions reset quickly to neutral when they believe no one’s watching.

In group photos, their smiles appear identical across dozens of images, too consistent, too practiced.

Many develop this behavior unconsciously, having learned early that displaying genuine emotions felt unsafe or unwelcome. The artificial smile becomes both shield and social lubricant, allowing superficial connections while maintaining emotional distance.

Offering compulsively help to others

With such people, rushing to the rescue becomes their signature move. Before you’ve finished describing a problem, they’ve already formulated three potential solutions and offered practical assistance.

Their calendars overflow with commitments to others while personal needs remain perpetually backburnered. This addiction to helping others creates a convenient distraction from internal struggles while generating external validation.

By positioning themselves as indispensable support systems, they establish worth through utility rather than authentic self-expression. Many find legitimate fulfillment in supporting others, yet those who are hiding broken selves use helping as their primary identity rather than one aspect of a balanced life.

The compulsion reveals itself through their discomfort when receiving help in return. Maintaining the helper role preserves their protective distance while fulfilling genuine desires for connection.

Emotional inconsistency

With people who fake happiness, subtle contradictions emerge in their emotional presentation over time. One moment they’re radiating enthusiasm about future plans, the next they’re unexpectedly withdrawn for reasons they minimize or can’t articulate.

Their reactions sometimes appear disconnected from circumstances, such as an excessive response to minor disappointments or unusual detachment during significant events. These inconsistencies manifest as brief windows into their authentic experience before the facade reasserts itself with renewed vigor.

Sharp observers notice these momentary fractures in their presentation, a flash of emptiness quickly masked, unexpected irritability hastily smoothed over, or fleeting sadness promptly repackaged as determination.

Each inconsistency represents the exhausting internal struggle between genuine emotion and their cultivated persona.

Constant rehearsed narratives

Polished stories roll effortlessly from their lips. Regardless of who asks about their wellbeing, identical phrases emerge, carefully crafted responses that sound sincere yet reveal nothing substantive.

If you listen closely during multiple conversations, patterns emerge. specific anecdotes are deployed repeatedly, identical emotional beats and unchanging language despite different audiences.

Their life descriptions contain peculiar perfection, challenges always yield valuable lessons and difficulties consistently appear in retrospect rather than present tense. Such narratives function as emotional scripts, maintained through rehearsed behaviors that prevent authentic vulnerability.

Personal questions trigger these pre-fabricated responses almost automatically. The underlying fear only becomes apparent when unexpected questions disrupt their prepared framework, creating momentary disorientation before they navigate back to familiar conversational territory.

Visible physical-verbal disconnect

While verbally insisting everything’s “great,” their shoulders remain rigid, jaws clenched, or fingers fidgeting beneath tables. Tension radiates through their body despite cheerful assertions and physical manifestations of distress contradict carefully chosen words.

Micro-expressions such as fleeting facial movements lasting fractions of seconds, reveal genuine feelings before conscious control reasserts itself. Their bodies essentially betray confidences their words won’t share. These unconscious behaviors reveal authentic emotional states that verbal expressions deliberately conceal.

Avoid genuine connection

Surface-level charm characterizes their interactions with nearly everyone. Popular and seemingly social, they masterfully navigate conversations while maintaining emotional boundaries that few recognize exist.

Their relationships develop to a certain depth before hitting invisible barriers. Personal disclosures focus on external circumstances rather than internal experiences. When others share vulnerabilities, they respond with perfect sympathy while rarely reciprocating equivalent openness.

Invitations to deeper connection trigger evasive behaviors such as subject changes, sudden time constraints, or deflection through intellectual analysis rather than emotional engagement.

Most telling is their careful distribution of personal information across different social circles, ensuring no individual holds a complete picture of their authentic experience. This fragmentation preserves control while preventing genuine vulnerability.

Collapse behind closed doors

Private moments reveal what public performances conceal. After energetically engaging at social gatherings, exhaustion overwhelms them immediately upon returning home. Maintaining their façade of happiness demands tremendous energy, creating a cycle of performance and recovery.

While publicly projecting vitality, private behaviors often include extended sleep, mindless scrolling, or other disconnection activities that require minimal emotional engagement.

The contrast becomes particularly evident during unplanned encounters, running into acquaintances during errands or being caught off-guard before fully assembling their cheerful persona.

These glimpses reveal the authentic baseline from which they must consciously elevate to maintain their social presentation. The dramatic difference between public and private states reveals the unsustainable nature of their emotional performance.

Beyond the mask

Recognizing these behaviors isn’t about labeling or diagnosing others. Instead, it’s about developing compassion for those struggling silently behind carefully crafted personas.

True connection requires creating safe spaces where authentic expression feels possible. For those hiding broken selves, the journey toward genuineness starts with small moments of vulnerability met with acceptance rather than judgment.

By acknowledging the complex reasons behind these protective behaviors, we open pathways toward deeper, more meaningful relationships built on authentic foundations.

Goma, the capital of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has long been marginalized by the central government in Kinshasa. Separated by a distance of over 2,000 kilometers, the government’s distant rule has led to policies that often fail to address the unique needs and realities of the region. However, the recent liberation of Goma offers a glimpse into the future of an integrated Africa, where regional cooperation takes precedence over political divisions.

Goma and Rubavu: A story of borderless cooperation

At the heart of this transformation are the twin cities of Goma (in DRC) and Rubavu (in Rwanda). Historically, these cities have been symbols of cross-border cooperation and exchange. Before the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and recent political tensions, over 50,000 people and goods crossed the border between Goma and Rubavu every day, fueling a thriving economic relationship.

However, political tensions, especially under the leadership of President Tshisekedi, have strained diplomatic relations between Rwanda and the DRC. As a result, these links have been severed, and cross-border trade has come to a near standstill. The restrictive policies imposed by the Congolese government since 2021 have stifled economic activity between the cities, hindering their potential for growth.

When translated into economic terms, the movement of people and goods between Goma and Rubavu represents a significant opportunity for both countries. Despite political hardships, the trade conducted between these cities demonstrates the power of borderless commerce. Unfortunately, the political climate has made it increasingly difficult for such trade to thrive.

A Pan-African vision: The Africa we want

From a Pan-Africanist perspective, the Africa we want should be one where the free movement of people and goods is not only encouraged but guaranteed. This freedom is more than just a logistical or economic necessity; it is a critical element in fostering cooperation between neighboring countries, particularly those with shared histories and cultures. The people of cities like Goma and Rubavu, who share many similarities in language, culture, and daily life, should not be divided by political boundaries.

For example, Goma could draw inspiration from Rubavu, which is known for its adherence to the rule of law, hospitality, and emphasis on public hygiene and order. The people of Goma could learn much from the urban development practices in Rubavu, which has become a model for the region. However, due to poor governance in Kinshasa, this kind of mutual learning and collaboration has been blocked, preventing both cities from realizing their full potential.

The impact of border towns on national politics

What is often overlooked is the ability of border cities like Goma and Rubavu to influence each other and foster mutual development. This influence transcends national politics, demonstrating that cooperation between cities with shared interests and challenges doesn’t have to be defined by the larger national politics at play. These cities have a natural inclination toward mutual support, given their common geography, history, and cultures.

Furthermore, border towns can serve as powerful models of peaceful cooperation and integration. If allowed to thrive, they can demonstrate what is possible when borders are seen as opportunities rather than obstacles.

A call for better leadership

Under Tshisekedi, the situation in Goma highlighted a deeper issue of governance. While Rubavu continues to make progress, Goma and its people have remained constrained by poor leadership and restrictive policies. One of the key drivers of the M23’s actions has been the dire situation in Goma, where the people have lived under the shadow of neglect from Kinshasa. However, rather than relying on military intervention, the future of Goma lies in greater regional cooperation, not isolation or division.

For Goma to realize its full potential, it must be allowed to engage freely with its neighbors and embrace the Pan-African ideal of unity and shared prosperity. This vision aligns with the goals of Agenda 2063, which advocates for a peaceful, prosperous, and integrated Africa.

What I believe the current rebel government should focus on, for the future of fully reintegrated leadership, is prioritizing brotherhood above all. All residents across the world—especially those who share borders with similar cultures—should value this connection deeply. As we learn from our own mistakes and those of others, the stepping stone for good leadership in the current Northern Kivu under M23 should never again tolerate the suffocation caused by Tshisekedi’s governance, which neglected the residents of Goma and hindered Rubavu’s economic cooperation.

When Félix Tshisekedi’s leadership chose such a cowardly act, the consequences fell heavily on innocent civilians, while elites and family members within the first family enjoyed the economy at the expense of the common people.

Now, with the M23 managing Goma, businesses have resumed. Though some challenges remain, current figures show that around 38,000 people cross the border daily. These are mostly ordinary people who don’t concern themselves with political calculations; what they enjoy is the ability to buy or sell freely, whenever and wherever, under full protection.

As we look toward the future of Africa, it is clear that the vision of Agenda 2063—a united, peaceful, and prosperous continent—can only be realized through the removal of unnecessary political barriers and the promotion of free movement for people and goods.

The story of Goma and Rubavu serves as one example of the potential that exists in a united Africa. Let us work together to ensure that this vision becomes a reality for all.