role+in+world

= RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY =
 * "ROLE IN THE WORLD"**

Sam Grace Dr. Anastasiya Gorbachova (Emily) Dr. Alexandra Vasilieva (Eleonore)

GENERAL NOTES:
 * Biggest challenge facing Russia in 21st century is trying to create an identity while having to focus on foreign policy
 * “The forging of Russian foreign policy reflects the search for identity and an attempt to reconcile traditional national interests with the newly emerging social and political entity”
 * Too many other forces in the world—globalization and U.S. domination
 * Many other countries right Russia off as a Third World Nation that will never prosper in the global community à However, Russia has over 20,000 warheads
 * Russia’s geographical location is a striking feature of its foreign policy
 * Russia’s oil industry has a huge role in its foreign policy- determines relationships between Russia and several countries around the world
 * " Most analysts in the present volume concur that the evolution of Russian foreign policy has been proceeding from idealistically unqualified Westernism to realistic pragmatic nationalism."
 * Pressure on Russia to adapt to westernization but wants to maintain power- struggle
 * Russia sees that globalization is heavily swayed by the national interest of the U.S.--> wants to combat this in the world (join with other countries i.e. Venezuela)
 * Knows that globalization is inevitable/necessary to back economy but doesn't want it to interfere with national interest


 * RUSSIA AND VENEZUELA:**
 * Russia uses aid to Venezuela as a front to attack U.S.—indirect overthrowing of the biggest world power
 * Arms Venezuela in 2006 (24 aircrafts, 53 helicopters à $1 billion) with the goal of defying U.S. threats to halt future trade deals between Russia and Venezuela
 * Causes tension between Venezuela and U.S.—U.S. calls for embargo—Venezuela is almost completely manufactured by U.S.
 * 2009- Russia lends Venezuela $2.9 billion to buy tanks and missile systems à Huge Chavez claims to need the money in order to keep health and education systems alive (as oil was its main export, Venezuela experienced huge economic downfall in the past year)
 * Chavez claims the money helps Venezuela defend itself, but many believe that Russia is trying to push them to fight the U.S.
 * However: " Let me be clear, Venezuela has no plans to invade anybody, or to be aggressive towards anybody"
 * Venezuela, in recent years, has been seen as a nuclear threat (is this why Russia is so against sanctions against Iran for nuclear threats?)
 * Russia and Venezuela coordinate their actions on global oil trade, working together in foreign policy to counter American domination
 * Medevev claims: “We think that it is our common task to achieve a more democratic, just and secure world” à Russia being very careful not to openly speak out against U.S. but intentions are clear
 * Intentions are clear in terms of sending weapons to Venezuela/lending money but Russia is now trying to combine energy policies and other global issues—trying to forge an extremely tight bond with Venezuela (Control? Help in war? What is Russia’s plan?)
 * Sense of mocking U.S. prestige—belittling role in the world
 * Russia avoiding Westernization by pushing oil out
 * Russia anxious to maintain strength both domestically and foreign

SIDE NOTE: U.S. and Venezuala:
 * Obama seeks to reach out to enemies—“leader, not lecturer, of democracy”
 * U.S. seems to think that Venezuela is no threat at all to them—defense budget is one-six hundredth the size of theirs
 * As Venezuela joins more and more with Russia, however, it is clear that they are becoming more powerful à more as a threat to U.S.


 * RUSSIA AND GEORGIA:**
 * After fall of USSR, new states were established but had problems with collective identity -- Georgia
 * Minority groups want to separate
 * Supported by Russia -- if groups split, more vulnerable because not as much power in one group
 * Russia can then take control over Georgian territory
 * Reasons for war
 * Georgian president Saakashvii was choosing to align more closely with the US and become their ally.
 * Georgia was considering NATO membership
 * Russia wants control of territory and prevent NATO from encroaching on W. Europe
 * Country is most promising east/west route for oil and gas
 * Russia is not justified in opening war with Georgia -- Russian peacekeepers were not threatened; continuation of Russia destruction after ceasefire agreement was not justified
 * Both countries agreed to reopen major border crossing this December -- major step forward
 * Upper Lars checkpoint in Caucasus mtns.
 * Pros for war with Georgia: Russia is asserting itself and showing global network (mainly the US) that they are powerful and not to interfere
 * Cons for war with Georgia: Can Russia survive without membership in the EU? How will this affect the future of Russia?
 * Transition to democracy is the next step for global development but Russia refuses to cooperate


 * RUSSIA AND UKRAINE:**


 * The main idea: The relationship between Ukraine and Russia is a microcosm for the even bigger relationship between the west and Russia. This is because Ukraine is moving towards western influence while Russia resists it and wants Ukraine to resist it as well. Putin does not want western influence spreading into the east.
 * Though Ukraine became independent when the USSR dissolved, Putin is still reluctant to reduce Russian influence upon the nation.
 * Ukraine is not a part of the E.U. as it is a separatist nation; however, the people find themselves dependent on Russia, which they don’t like. Ukraine sees Russia as a threatening bully.
 * Putin does not want Ukraine to have the ability to fend for itself. In fact, Russia is angry with Ukraine because Putin believes they was selling warfare to Georgia when Russia and Georgia were at war in 2008: “Russia repeatedly declared that the Georgian army was using Ukrainian arms and that Ukrainian mercenaries were fighting on the side of Georgia in South Ossetia. Although neither charge has been proven, these repeated accusations serve to illustrate Russia's political antagonism towards Ukraine.”
 * Ukraine does not want to have to rely on Russia anymore: “With regard to the European Union, most Ukrainians understand that they won't get in for at least another 20 years, leaving Ukraine economically dependent on Russia for the foreseeable future. Each anti-Russian move by the Ukrainian president has resulted in the sort of economic sanctions employed by Russia against Georgia, except that now it's Ukrainian meat and dairy products that Russia has banned. Thus, American chicken and Ukrainian dried milk have been the first victims of the current stand-off between the west and Russia.”
 * Russia and Ukraine disagree greatly over oil prices. So, Russia stopped sending oil supplies to Ukraine recently. During this oil dispute, Russia described Ukraine as “an aggressive and greedy state that wanted to ally with Russia’s enemies and exploit cheap Russian gas.”
 * The two simply do not get along. For example, Putin has said of Ukraine, "Ukrainian political leadership is demonstrating its inability to solve economic problems,…”
 * Recognizing independent countries like Ukraine sparks problems: “As Putin put it on 29 August, the west started the business of redrawing the map of Europe when it recognized the independence of Kosovo, thus "opening a Pandora's box.”
 * Putin does not want to take over Ukraine, but he also does not want Ukraine to become a part of NATO. Putin wants Ukraine to remain an independent, separatist nation so that they so not fall under any western influence.
 * Ukraine wants: to remain independent or join NATO. Like the country of Georgia, Ukraine hopes to join NATO in hopes of keeping Russia away and out.
 * In this case, NATO and the E.U. are symbols of western power—Ukraine is leading towards NATO as their source of western influence. They believe NATO will protect them from Putin.
 * So, while Russia shifts away from western influence, Ukraine attempts to move towards it.
 * What’s going to happen: “All that will be required, from Moscow's point of view, will be the recognition of these states by each other and by Russia--and, in the end, eastern Europe, the Caucasus and central Asia will be firmly within the Russian sphere of influence. The western border of this sphere could very well be drawn through the middle of Ukraine, slicing the country in two.”
 * Will their relationship get better? Due to Ukraine’s “ [|anti-Russian sentiment] , Medvedev announced that he would not appoint a new <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">[|Russian ambassador to Ukraine]  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;"> until such time as there was an improvement in the relationship. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">[|”]  <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">The US believes that Ukraine should be making decisions on its own. We fully support their independence from Russian influence.

WORKS CITED Gorodetsky, Gabriel, ed. //Russia between East and West: Russian Foreign Policy on the Threshold of the Twenty-First Century//. London: Frank Cass, 2003. //Questia//. Web. 25 Jan. 2010.

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