Topic:
Country: Russian Federation
Delegate Name: Julia Callahan
Committee: Disec
Topic: Reduction of Military Budgets
Country: Russian Federation
Delegate: Julia Callahan
School: East Grand Rapids HS
Russian Federation recognizes the considerable rise in military budget, though stresses the importance of the freedom of member states to allocate individual budgets. Throughout history, different elements and events have influenced the increase or reduction in the global budget; post-WWII demobilization actions commenced, and several countries reduced military budgets and reallocated funding to reconstruction. The Cold War led to a rise and downfall in the budget, rising amongst conflict falling for restoration. Peace dividend started the discourse of permanent budget redistribution, limiting overall military spending and focusing on social and economic development. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty reduced funding for nuclear and conventional weapons. Globally, economic hardships such as the financial crisis of 2008 and conflicts such as the Ukraine conflict changed countries’ expenditure priorities.
Russian Federation recognizes the fluctuation in the Russian Federation’s military budget stability since the Cold War. 1991-1995, the Russian Federation underwent economic unrest since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. The collapse of the Soviet Union brought the fall of a military expenditure estimated at $257B in 1987 to $24.1B in 1997. As the economy stabilized in the late 1990s, the budget rose. Russian Federation acknowledges with Vladimir Putin’s presidency; the early 2000s brought modern military reform with a rising budget. Russian Federation commends the bold military budget and modernization in 2011, raising the military funding for national defense to $53B. Russian Federation notes with the annexation of Crimea in 2014, military spending increased aggressively as more conflict emerged with Ukraine, rising to $78B in 2014, $9.1B more than the previous year. The Russian Federation maintained a budget allocation that gave a plethora of funding to the military during the conflict with Ukraine. The $160B military budget was projected by the end of 2023, accounting for 40% of the Russian Federation’s budget. Most recently, the State Duma approved the most significant military budget to date, projecting spending to reach $420B, ⅓ going to defense and structural security.
Russian Federation acknowledges the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs publication in 2020 that critiqued the unconstrained military spending and the extremity of the global military budget. Proposals regarding reducing military spending have not been executed, though, in 1981, the United Nations Report on Military Expenditures (MilEx) recommendation encouraged countries to share and report military expenditures.
Russian Federation strongly believes in budget autonomy, allowing states to allocate their expenditures independently. Constriction of military budget limits countries in times of crisis and restricts the jurisdiction in controlling what is most important to fund for states’ people. Russian Federation strongly stresses not reducing military budgets or setting limitations to preserve sovereignty.
