This issue of the "West – East – Russia" Yearbook presents the main events, processes and trends of the past year in the relations between the countries of the Center and the world Periphery and semi-Periphery, taking into account the interests and position of Russia in this interaction. The main topics of the panorama of 2018 are manifestations of the new hegemony of the US presidential administration in "all directions" (primarily in relation to Russia and China), the problems of BRICS, the post-soviet states, the situation and hot spots in the Middle East. These and other topics are presented in both global and regional dimensions (Middle East, East and South-East Asia, Latin America, post-soviet states). Traditionally, there are sections on ecology and new books on the subject of the Yearbook.