Post Soviet Foreign Policy Flashcards
What are the core principles of Russian foreign policy, according to Kanet?
Russia’s foreign policy is grounded in sovereignty and non-intervention.
It paradoxically violates these principles in regions like Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova. Russia critiques Western interventions and advocates for alternatives, such as deepened cooperation with China and other regional organizations like the Eurasian Economic Union, challenging the Western-led order.
What challenges does Russia face in its pursuit of a new world order?
- Economic constraints
- Over-reliance on energy exports
- Impact of Western sanctions.
- Russia’s international isolation has strengthened NATO cohesion, undermining its efforts to weaken the Western order.
Despite these obstacles, Russia’s pursuit of a new global order continues, but its aspirations are constrained by these limitations.
How does Gomza assess the strategic miscalculations made by Russia during the invasion?
- Underestimation of Ukrainian resistance, which led to a much longer and more costly conflict than expected.
- Overestimated its military capabilities, with logistical failures and low morale among troops.
- The miscalculation of Western unity and the strong support for Ukraine further complicated Russia’s position.
What does Gomza predict about the broader implications of the war in Ukraine?
Gomza argues that the war will have lasting consequences on global security and international norms. It has already led to NATO expansion and reshaped the security landscape in Europe. The invasion also signals a broader challenge to the liberal international order, demonstrating the fragility of sovereignty and territorial integrity norms.
What are the challenges to conflict resolution posed by external actors in Transnistria, according to the authors?
Beyer and Wolff explain that the conflict is exacerbated by competing external interests—Russia’s linkage w Transnistria and Moldova’s linkage w the EU. Neither actor has sufficient leverage to impose a resolution, and the entrenched geopolitical rivalry perpetuates the “frozen conflict” in the region.
What solutions do Beyer and Wolff propose for resolving the Transnistrian conflict?
Strengthening internal institutions to appeal to Transistria.
A more balanced approach involving both Russia and the EU in negotiations, along with confidence-building measures like joint infrastructure projects, could help foster reconciliation and resolve the conflict.
What are the key characteristics of unrecognized territories in the post-Soviet space?
Unrecognized territories, also referred to as “de facto states,” include regions like Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh, and the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics.
These regions maintain de facto independence but lack international recognition.
They often receiving varying degrees of support from Russia or other external actors. The status of these territories is a major source of geopolitical tension in the region, particularly with respect to territorial sovereignty and international law.
What are the different foreign policy orientations of post-Soviet states, and how do they align with global powers?
Post-Soviet states exhibit three main foreign policy orientations:
1. Univectoral (Western-oriented)
2. Univectoral (Russian-oriented)
3. Multi-vectoral.
Some states, like Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine, have pursued closer ties with the West, particularly the EU and NATO. Others, like Belarus and Kazakhstan, have been more aligned with Russia. Armenia, Turkmenistan, and other states after 2022 have adopted multi-vectoral foreign policies, balancing relationships with both the West and Russia, depending on national interests.
How did Russian foreign policy evolve over time, particularly under Vladimir Putin?
Russian foreign policy changed from struggling with economic and political instability reducing its global involvement in the 1990s after the Soviet collapse to challenging the West under Putin’s administration.
- NATO expansion
- “Energy superpower” status
- Post-2014, Russia pursued a “Fortress Russia” strategy (annexation of Crimea and interventions in Syria)
- Soft power and disinformation.
What were the key factors behind Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022?
- Putin’s personal authoritarianism played a key role.
- Russia wanted to assert its great power status.
- Putin saw NATO’s expansion eastward as a security threat.
- Ukraine’s push for Western integration was framed as unacceptable.
- Imperial rhetoric, like “denazification,” was used to justify the invasion.
- The invasion was driven by geopolitical, nationalist, and security concerns.
What is the impact of strong linkages with the West on authoritarian regimes?
Strong linkages with the West correlate to progressive regime change towards democracy. No authoritarian regime has survived in areas with high linkage, like Central and Southeastern Europe.
What are three key features of strong authoritarian state capacity?
Strong authoritarian state capacity includes:
- A highly organized ruling party.
- A well-funded coercive system that has experience in violent conflict.
- State control over the economy
How does low state capacity affect authoritarian regimes?
State capacity refers to a government’s ability to effectively implement policies, maintain order, provide public services, and enforce laws, relying on the necessary resources, institutions, and authority.
When state capacity is low, authoritarian regimes struggle to consolidate power and are more vulnerable to opposition.
Name two Western initiatives designed to promote closer ties with post-Soviet states.
- European Neighborhood Policy (ENP)
- Eastern Partnership
What are some examples of Russia-led regional organizations?
- Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
- Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)
- Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
