Russia's foreign policy in Central Asia

Abstract

Over the past two decades, Central Asia, a region comprising the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, has been steadily gaining in importance in the eyes of Russian foreign policy makers. While it may never reach the level of significance Moscow attaches to relations with the US or China, or even Ukraine and Belarus in Western Eurasia, Russia’s security, political and economic interests condition its deep and multifaceted involvement in the region. The so-called “Wilsonian bias” is also salient in interpretations of Russian foreign policy. It is based on the assumption that Putin’s inherent revanchism, aggressiveness and Soviet nostalgia determine Russia’s international relations. The Central Asian republics rate highly on various lists of nations friendly to Russia, such as the Index of Military-Political Cooperation calculated periodically by foreign policy experts in Moscow. Moscow’s consistent support for incumbent authoritarian governments stands in contrast to Western efforts to foster democracy around the world.