Moscow has stirred diplomatic waters again by publishing a list classifying 47 countries as responsible for encouraging “disastrous behaviour” that is contrary to Russia’s moral and spiritual values. The list, promoted by Mikhail Mishustin’s government, includes not only major Western powers such as the United States, the United Kingdom and most countries of the European Union, but also Japan, South Korea and Australia.
This gesture is not new. Following the escalation of sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow has been periodically compiling a catalogue of countries it considers hostile. However, the detail that has drawn the most attention on this occasion is that, of the entire European Union bloc, only two countries have been spared: Hungary and SlovakiaTürkiye is also doing the same, which has been interpreted as a clear signal of its importance in Russia’s strategic relations.
“Defending traditional values”
The decree by President Vladimir Putin accompanying the publication of this list is not limited to condemnation. It also proposes facilitating the migration to Russia of citizens of these countries who “share traditional Russian values.” The Kremlin has already received applications from dozens of people who, according to official sources, want to abandon what they describe as “destructive neoliberalism” in their own countries.
The Russian government has made no secret of its intention to attract those who reject the direction their societies have taken and offer them a fast track to resettlement on Russian soil. This gesture, more symbolic than practical, reinforces Moscow’s narrative as a bastion of traditional values against what it sees as the “moral decadence” of the West.
Hungary and Slovakia, the only EU countries to escape this label, have maintained less critical stances toward Moscow compared with other European partners. Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian prime minister, has cultivated a pragmatic relationship with Putin, while Slovakia has avoided open confrontation. Both have been cautious about sanctions and anti-Russian rhetoric from the rest of the bloc.
An “unregulated market”
The Russian statement, distributed by the state agency TASS, goes beyond pointing the finger at Western governments. It points directly to the “bad influences” that, according to Moscow, are corrupting traditional values in these nations. In this sense, the Kremlin has placed special emphasis on criticism of “destructive neoliberalism,” a recurring concept in Russian rhetoric to contrast its vision of morality with that of the West.
Meanwhile, the response in Western capitals has been cautious. While few have spoken out openly about this new list, the diplomatic atmosphere between Russia and Europe remains tense, with little sign of reconciliation in the near future.
