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Russia's Foreign Policy Assertiveness and What's Behind It

Andrei Tsygankov, Associate Professor, International Relations/Political Science, San Francisco State University

Date & Time

Monday
May. 22, 2006
12:00pm – 1:00pm ET

Overview

At a recent Kennan Institute talk, Andrei Tsygankov, Associate Professor, International Relations / Political Science, San Francisco State University, discussed the main forces driving Russian foreign policy. Contrary to the increasingly popular image of Russia as an aggressive, imperialist state, Tsygankov argued that the primary drivers in Russia's foreign policy are domestic. President Vladimir Putin's priorities are to pursue opportunities for economic growth and stability, and to address Russia's increasing security threats. Tsygankov stated that Russia's foreign policy is non-confrontational and should not be viewed as threatening to the West.

Tsygankov established three primary reasons for Russia pursuing an assertive foreign policy. The first is Russia's new economic confidence. Russia has a growing middle class and strong economic growth indicators. Evidence of Russia's economic revitalization can be seen in the massive immigration of labor, growing energy demands, and strong domestic support for a policy of pursuing economic opportunities abroad. A second factor for Russia's international assertiveness is the growth of its "soft power," which Tsygankov defined as a "broad humanitarian project" that is about the expansion of culture, Russian language, political legitimacy and cultural values. According to Tsygankov, this is a policy of "cooptation rather than confrontation," which targets all former citizens of the former Soviet Union, regardless of ethnicity. He stated that the third factor driving Russia's assertive foreign policy is the security threats it faces, such as growing Islamic extremism in Central Asia in the North Caucasus. In the post 9-11 era, Russian public opinion has become critical of the U.S. approach to terrorism. Tsygankov asserted that over 60 percent of the general public believes that the United States' use of regime change and western-style democratization as strategies for fighting terrorism is problematic. As a result, the Iraq war is increasingly seen as a war of civilizations, and Tsygankov stated that Russia cannot afford to take sides in such a war.

Russia is pursuing a policy of strategic alliances in the near and distant abroad. As a result of increasing bilateralization of ties, former Soviet countries are being shifted away from an economic policy that rewards political loyalty, and towards normalization and market-based relations. As a result, Ukraine, Georgia and Belarus are facing increased gas prices, which should contribute over $3 billion to Russia's budget annually. Tsygankov claimed that Russia's need for security around its borders made it necessary for Putin to form an alliance with Uzbekistan and increase Russia's involvement in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. He also explained recent Middle East initiatives, such as attempts to broker a deal with Iran and engagement of Hamas, by Russia's desire to avoid a growing radicalization of Islam at home.

Finally, Tsygankov suggested that the often-used comparison of Russia's foreign policy assertiveness to the Cold War is historically inaccurate. Instead, he offered the comparison of Putin's policy to that of Russian policy in the 1890s led by Finance Minister Sergei Witte: strong internal economic development through state-driven liberalization, while avoiding "foreign policy adventures." Tsygankov recommended that instead of neo-containment, which could provoke increased anti-Westernism within Russia, the U.S. should follow a policy of "pragmatic substantive engagement." This would identify key issues that the two powers could agree on and work together. Most importantly, Tsygankov suggested patience, as all reforms and transformations can take up to a generation.

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Kennan Institute

The Kennan Institute is the premier US center for advanced research on Russia and Eurasia and the oldest and largest regional program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The Kennan Institute is committed to improving American understanding of Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the surrounding region though research and exchange.  Read more

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