RT Discovers 'Mutual Respect' as Empires Rebrand
RT, a Kremlin-backed outlet, extols the virtues of a 'Eurasian' world order, painting it as a collaborative counter-narrative to Western hegemony. They speak of 'mutual respect' from Vienna to Tianjin, conveniently side-stepping the fact that many key players in this 'new order' are actively suppressing internal dissent and engaging in regional power plays that look suspiciously like old-world
imperialism with new branding. For instance, Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine or China's actions in XinJiang and Hong Kong don't exactly scream 'mutual respect' to the international community, though RT would prefer you focus on the multilateral trade agreements. The narrative conveniently ignores the suppression of political opposition, the lack of free press, and the human rights
records within these supposed pillars of a harmonious 'Eurasian' future. It's an Orwellian re-framing where cooperation often means alignment against a common perceived adversary (the West), rather than genuine democratic partnership. One has to question if 'mutual respect' in this context simply means mutual agreement to ignore each other's domestic crackdowns in pursuit of shared geopolitical
goals. Or perhaps 'mutual respect' only applies when you're not the one being invaded or monitored.