Russia’s “Turn to the East” Policy: Evolution and Assessment

Abstract

Abstract Russia’s “Turn to the East” policy emerged after the 2014 Ukraine crisis, making pro-Eastern and anti-Western orientations integral and interconnected components of Russian foreign policy. This policy has gone through two developmental stages: from March 2014 to February 2022, Russia strengthened its political and economic cooperation with Asia-Pacific countries; from February 2022 to the present, Russia has turned comprehensively towards Asia, Africa and Latin America, with an emphasis on China. The implementation of Russia’s “Turn to the East” policy for nearly a decade has had limited effectiveness, mainly reflected in the economic aspect. While the East, in some specific sectors like trade, may be on par with the West, it still cannot replace the West in terms of investments and technology. Furthermore, the policy faces several challenges, including a significant gap between national strength and policy objectives, the need to improve certain internal and external conditions that hinder the development of Russian relations with Eastern countries, and the necessity to enhance Russia’s presence in Eastern nations. Despite its limited efficacy, Russia is likely to continue implementing its pivot to the East in the medium term due to factors such as the prolonged Russia-Ukraine conflict, Russia’s ongoing confrontation with the West, and Putin’s expected continuation in power beyond 2024.