A NEW DISCOURSE ON THE NATIONAL INTEREST CONCEPT

National interest can be analyzed from two perspectives: what people think about it (primarily politicians and scientists), and as the object of an independent author's research, which claims to comprehend the essence of national interest. Many scientists prefer to follow one of the two primary schools of studying national interest—"realism" and "idealism," which leads to a theoretical impasse. This dilemma arises when researchers decide whether to agree that the study of a particular state's national interest can only be carried out based on the founders' teachings or attempt to rethink the theoretical vision of the problem. In modern international relations, prominent regional actors in developing national development strategies need a systemic understanding of the foundations of national interests. The "conflict" between "realists" and "idealists" is purely theoretical and represents a dispute over various nuances in views on the problem of ensuring a unified national interest.