What are the options of the Russian foreign policy, a decade after the collapse of the USSR ?

Résumé du document

Since the break-up of the Soviet Union ten years ago, Russia has been in a state of confusion about its relations with the outside world, unsure of what direction to face in foreign affairs. Following fifty years of making global headlines with every single foreign policy move, Russia has struggled to come to terms with a new identity where initiatives raise only a slight discussion in the press, and influence abroad has plummeted in the post-Cold War era. Yet Russia remains a major actor on the international stage for three reasons: Possession of nuclear weapons, a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, and a continually potent influence within their immediate neighbourhood on Eurasia (Legvold, 2001)

Extraits

[...] On both sides there are uncertainties over issues of both Russia's regional positioning in the world and trust. Given the vast size of the country, it is no surprise that Russia still questions whether to lean closer to Europe or Asia. While citizens of Moscow may well feel closer to Europe, Vladivostok natives are far more likely to be concerned about Asian (or at the least, Chinese) issues. There also continues to be problems of trust on both sides. This feeling runs back centuries, over which territorial expansion has taken place in both directions, leaving contradictory feelings of both charm and fright towards each other (Brown, 2001). [...]

[...] More strikingly, the decision to allow the US to use Russian airbases for the conflict in Afghanistan has given a sense of optimism for future co- operation between the two nations. The creation of better relations with the United States can only be in the best interests of Russia. Looking at the world, those who are friends of the United States the remaining superpower can only prosper. Bibliography Anon (1997) Can Love Bear A Dragon? The Economist April pp. 21-23 Anon (1998) Still Most Awkward Partner. [...]

[...] Legvold, R (2001) Russia' Unformed Foreign Policy. Foreign Affairs 80(5) pp. 62-75 Shearman, P. (1995) Russian Foreign Policy Since 1990. Westview Press. White, Pravada et al (1997) Developments in Russian Politics 4. MacMillan. [...]

[...] The dominant struggle of the twentieth century between the Soviet Union and United States has passed and left a great deal of uncertainty about the relationship between the two on both sides of the Pacific. Certainly a conflict of such great length is bound to have continuing influence on the thinking in the Kremlin, hence indecision over the past ten years on whether to move closer or further away from America. Even in the past year, Putin has toyed with reducing America's standing in the world, by allegedly creating splits between the US and EU on issues of environmental pollution and arms control. [...]

[...] What are the options of the Russian foreign policy, a decade after the collapse of the USSR? Since the break-up of the Soviet Union ten years ago, Russia has been in a state of confusion about its relations with the outside world, unsure of what direction to face in foreign affairs. Following fifty years of making global headlines with every single foreign policy move, Russia has struggled to come to terms with a new identity where initiatives raise only a slight discussion in the press, and influence abroad has plummeted in the post-Cold War era. [...]