BRICS is one of the alternative projects of multipolar world building. BRICS was created as community of the most powerful developing countries seeking to reform the world order. What is unique about this bloc is the fact that it includes counties with various social-economic models and cultural-civilizational characteristics. BRICS is primarily a dialogue platform for discussing major international issues. At the same time the foreign policy of BRICS is based on the solid basis of economic and military-political potential of the member states. BRICS offers new ways of reforming the system of international regulation.

Serious changes in the military and political situation in Europe and the world are pushing the leadership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to find new ways to adapt the Alliance to the realities of today.

In this article, the ''Cold War'' is understood as a situation where the relationship between the leading States is determined by ideological confrontation and, at the same time, the presence of nuclear weapons precludes the development of this confrontation into a large-scale armed conflict. Such a situation has developed in the years 1945–1989, during the first Cold War. We see that something similar is repeated in our time-with all the new nuances in the ideological struggle and in the nuclear arms race.

The article observes some aspects of strategic planning and prognostication in the context of increasing effectiveness of the Russian Federation international activity. The author examines main reasons for drawing attention to the subject of strategic planning at post-soviet planning. In this connection, the author takes up some practical works of the leading western countries. The focus is on practical significance of the legislative basis, which has been created in the Russian Federation. This legislative has given for the Russian Ministry for Foreign Affairs ability to work up its own system of long-distance planning, monitoring and prognostication. The article contains some proposals toward improving the mechanism of strategic planning in the interests of Russian international policy.

Devastated conditions in major part of the Arab world as the result of the so cooled ''Arabs spring'' cound not but influensed upon capability and effectiveness of the Arab diplomacy, which was disorientated by new discourse among Arab frontline countries and lost of its former assertiveness and strength in defending Arab interest as the whole.

The article analyses the EU approach towards pan-European security, the substance that was eroded by the Brussels’ activities. The EU policy resulted into degradation the pan-European security architecture. It became a hostage of the trans-Atlantic solidarity. One of the main aims of transforming European economic communities into the EU was to establish itself as a hegemon in Europe and to reorganize the European sphere on its own rules and principles. Political expedience became superior over economic performance in the EU policies. The EU claimed to represent the whole Europe though not all the European states were its members. Due to the EU and NATO activities the OSCE turned into a minor organization unable to address the challenges of pan-European security. The EU policy has led to creation of new conflicts and division lines in Europe. The EU-Russian relations are considered in the context of pan-European security. The mechanisms for dialogue and cooperation in various fields, including security, are broken. The EU is pursuing the policy of pushing Russia out of Europe. The Ukrainian crisis is an artificial product of the EU. The concept of pan-European security needs critical review and rethinking the role of Russia.

Debates on project of the European defense are already carrying on for a long time. By now many reasons exist to affirm the European Union visible progression to set up its own defensive component. But officially for the time being the question of creation of a military European union is not raised and the collective defense remains the exclusive prerogative of NATO.

Currently, social networks are increasingly being used as an effective medium for public diplomacy. The article is devoted to the consideration of the phenomenon of Twitter diplomacy and its role in the foreign policy of most countries of the world. The events of recent years show that Twitter has not only become a new tool in diplomatic activity, but also changed the way the diplomatic processes themselves are perceived. Diplomats and world political leaders have begun to understand the benefits of some of Twitter's services and capabilities to maintain the most favorable relationships in a networked public space. Thanks to Twitter, the relationship between social networks and diplomacy began to transform into a dynamically developing modern phenomenon, showing that social networks can play both negative (Twitter revolutions, social instability, the formation of negative public opinion, etc.), and a positive important role in building favorable relations and ensuring peace between peoples. Therefore, Twitter today remains the most popular social network for world political leaders and foreign ministries of several countries.