La evolucion de la politica exterior de la federacion rusa entre los anos 2004 y 2006. Nacionalismo contra pragmatismo?

In: Foro internacional: revista trimestral, Band 47, Heft 2, S. 245-268

Abstract

Vladimir Putin's diplomacy is a mix of patriotic & nationalistic rhetoric with rational & opportunistic pragmatism ?though no significant contradiction may be said to be in there. The former is aimed basically at Russian citizens & overall internal order, in general, while the latter intends to send a conciliatory message to foreign powers & is mirrored in the foreign management of the Russian state. This somehow paradoxical blend matches perfectly with the goals of the government: to reconcile the society with its complex historical past, with itself & with the external world. Russian diplomacy is aware that the ambition of restoring the space of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is unreal & idealistic, & it therefore focuses its efforts on establishing integration at different levels & speeds, but always having the Central Asian & post-soviet Caucasian regions as main priorities. Russia's foreign policy preserves the major aspects approved since 2000, namely, its relationships with the CIS countries, Europe & the United States. However, in all three cases Russia's practical position has significantly varied, bearing constantly in mind the relevance of merging nationalism & pragmatism elements &, above all, the defense of national interests. Currently, the Russian government feels more confident & strong to act with more autonomy in the international scenario, as a result of the country's boom in terms of growth, a significant increase of foreign investment in Russian economy, & the unconditional support it has at the internal level, despite its authoritarian measures & the increased centralization of power. Adapted from the source document.