The Rebuilding of Greater Russia: Putin's Foreign Policy Towards the CIS Countries (Routledge Contemporary Russia and Eastern Europe Series)

This book describes the strategies used by President Putin from 2000 onwards to recreate 'Greater Russia', that is a Russia that controls most of the territory of the former Soviet Union. It shows the subtlety of the means of control, often through creating economic dependencies in the 'near abroad', including exploiting energy dependency, through prolonging other political and military dependencies, and sometimes through traditional 'power politics'. Bertil Nygren argues that after seven years in power the results of this strategy are beginning to show, providing comprehensive coverage of Russia’s relations to the former Soviet territories of the CIS countries, including Ukraine and Putin's role in the events surrounding the 'Orange Revolution', Belarus and the attempts to form a union, the Caucasus and Russia's role in the various conflicts, Moldova, including the Transdniester conflict, and Central Asia. This is an important subject for Russian studies experts and international relations scholars in general. Book Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 12 Abbreviations......Page 13 Part I: The Russian regional security complex and Russian foreign policy towards the CIS countries......Page 16 1 Introduction......Page 18 2 The regional organizations of the Russia-led regional security complex......Page 39 Part II: Russia and the European security sub-complex: Relations with Belarus, Ukraine and Moldova......Page 62 3 Russia and Ukraine......Page 64 4 Russia and Belarus......Page 81 5 Russia and Moldova......Page 97 Part III: Russia and the Caucasus security sub-complex: Relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia and the regional conflicts......Page 116 6 The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict......Page 120 7 Russia and Azerbaijan......Page 125 8 Russia and Armenia......Page 129 9 Russia and Georgia......Page 134 10 The Caucasus, the EU, NATO and the United States......Page 169 Part IV: Russia and the Asian regional sub-complex: Relations with Kyrgyztan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan......Page 176 11 The Caspian Sea basin: Borders, oil and gas......Page 182 12 Russia and Kazakhstan......Page 190 13 Russia and Kyrgyztan......Page 197 14 Russia and Tajikistan......Page 203 15 Russia and Uzbekistan......Page 211 16 Russia and Turkmenistan......Page 217 17 Central Asia, China, NATO and the United States......Page 222 Part V: Russia as a regional great power......Page 232 18 Conclusions......Page 234 Notes......Page 266 References......Page 288 Index......Page 330 Describes Strategies Used By President Putin From 2000 Onwards To Recreate Greater Russia. It Shows The Subtlety Of The Means Of Control, Through Creating Economic, Energy, Political And Military Dependencies. Provides Comprehensive Coverage Of Russia's Relations To The Former Soviet Territories Of The Cis Countries, Including Ukraine And Putin's Role In The Events Surrounding The Orange Revolution, Belarus And The Attempts To Form A Union, The Caucasus And Russia's Role In The Various Conflicts, Moldova, Including The Transdniester Conflict, And Central Asia. The Russian Regional Security Complex And Russian Foreign Policy Towards The Cis Countries -- Russia And The European Security Sub-complex : Relations With Belarus, Ukraine And Moldova -- Russia And The Caucasus Security Sub-complex : Relations With Armenia, Azerbaijan And Georgia And The Regional Conflicts -- Russia And The Asian Regional Sub-complex : Relations With Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan And Turkmenistan -- Russia As A Regional Great Power : Analysis Of The Past And Future Of Putin's Attempt To Re-build Greater Russia : Objectives, Strategies, Policies, Instruments, And Prospects For Success. Bertil Nygren. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [273]-314) And Index.