Russia’s Foreign Policy under Putin: “CIS Project” Renewed

Abstract

Since 2000, Russia under Putin pursued a coherent and pragmatic foreign policy with clearly defined priorities and well-structured interests. Recognizing the limits of available resources, the Kremlin reduced the unnecessary and costly presence around the world and, instead of dreaming of recovering the superpower status, it preferred rather to concentrate on its immediate neighbourhood, generically called the “near abroad”. Perceiving itself as a regional superpower, Russia strived to stop degradation of its influence and to rebuild its power position across ex-Soviet periphery during the last five years via economic, political and military instruments. Because the Kremlin considered regional predominance vital for the maintenance of its great power status in the world, the CIS countries became the top priority of Russia’s multivectoral foreign policy. Unlike Primakov’s aggressive multipolarity, Putin’s multivectoral foreign course was called to accommodate Russia’s interest in development of non-conflict relations and close interaction with the West and some Asian partners with the desire to play a dominant role in the CIS space. It was presumed in the Kremlin that, once successfully implemented, this strategy would prepare the restoration of Russia’s power positions beyond the “near abroad” in the long-term.