The Sources of Russian Foreign Policy Assertiveness

Book excerpt: This book explores the sources of Russia’s foreign policy conduct since the end of the Cold War. It is aimed at those interested in Russian foreign policy, international security, and diplomacy. The book embraces an eclectic approach by applying insights from several strands of IR theory, exploring both international and domestic sources. The author argues that Russian foreign policy is influenced by the country’s strategic culture, which exhibits some persistent elements inherited from Russia’s imperial past and from Soviet times. The challenges to Russia’s security interests from Western policies led to an increase in Russian foreign policy assertiveness. As a result, Russia is becoming more committed to Eurasian integration and nurturing relations with China. This book further argues that Russia’s relations with the post-Soviet states have been and will remain a priority of its foreign relations and, therefore, Russia is likely to continue challenging any Western interference in these states. The author maintains that geoeconomics and the protection of overseas economic interests are becoming more prominent in Russia’s foreign policy calculus. The role of domestic factors in the country’s foreign policy, such as authoritarianism, regime vulnerability, and the role of political factions, is also examined.