Russias Foreign Policy towards Georgia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5750 words

Russias Foreign Policy towards Georgia - Essay Example If we should choose just one word that would most accurately describe Russian foreign policy, it would definetely be the word "pragmatic". In April 2005 while visiting Israel, Putin was asked if Russia is attempting to regain its status of global superpower, as it was as Soviet union during the Cold war era. Putin answered in a quite evasive manner, that the expenses required by such ambition would most certainly exceed the possible benefits from acquiring such position on the world scene, and he added that Russia already is a "great country" with important influence on the countries of the North and South hemisphere. The aspiration of becoming superpower again is not even explicitly declared in the basic foreign policy document we have already mentioned. Not only does it recede from such foreign aspirations, it also lacks the term "superpower" in its provisions, as this is not being used at all. In particular, it states almost the opposite that Russia attempts to become part of the multipolar system of international relations that truly reflects the diversity of modern world and the multiplicity of interest within its policies and needs (Arbatov 311). Still, it is evident that what is Russia really trying the achieve is the status of world superpower, different from the type of superpower Soviet union once was and achieved by different means. Soviet union was the superpower based on ideological antagonism to its Cold war rival the USA, or the West in general. On the contrary, modern Russian federation is certainly not interested in polarizing the world ideologically. Putins answer he provided during his Israel visit referred to the fact, that the role of superpower in effect paradoxically contributed to the fall of Soviet empire, which had global political influence, but paid a great price for only a little political or military gains, with no allies worth and efficiently strong. Russia chose a different way of declaring such ambitions that have always been an integral and essential part of its foreign policy. The foreign policy objective currently manifested by Russia, especially after events in Georgia in summer of 2008, is to resist the hegemony of the West, especially USA and EU, and the way they use, or even abuse, their post-Cold war power in the international political system and relations. The key instrument for the erosion the the Western hegemony (as Russia understands the situation in international relations) is not the composition of a solid "pact" of the states uncompromisingly opposing the West, but rather some coalition of states based on the pragmatic and nonideological relations, primarily on economic and military ties (Bobo Lo 163). This is undoubtedly the main reason why Russia preserves a very good relations with "potential superpowers" such as China, India and Brasil. Simultaneously, Russia is building a close ties