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Foreign Policy
THIRD UNIT
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF RUSSIA BEFORE 1917
In 1817, first communist revolution was “Paris Commune” during the life span of Karl Marx. It occurred in the wake of French’s defeat in French-German war and in the collapse of Napoleon 3rd^ second empire. It’s an insurrection of Paris against the French government. They had control over the Paris but they could not fight against the bourgeois class and eventually failed. The revolutionaries were targeted. The communist realized the importance of the dictatorship of proletariat.
In 1917 the October revolution officially known as Great October Socialist Revolution in the Soviet Union, also known as Bolshevik Revolution was a revolution in Russia led by the Vladimir Lenin and it was second largest revolution change of government in Russia. Lenin was the one who gave the Marxist theory in a practical form “Imperialism is the highest stage of capitalism”
Lenin decree of the peace – 1917
1- Proletariat Internationalism- Division between Bourgeois and Proletariat and believed in the dictatorship of proletariat. Communist manifesto which talks about “Working class of all countries unite against capitalism”. 2- Peaceful Coexistence 3- Consideration of ideological commitment as well as pragmatic Foreign Policy based on National Interest of Soviet Union. 4- Favorable external conditions conducive to build communism in USSR. 5- Strengthening world communist system. 6- Developing relations with third world countries on the basis of equality and respect for sovereignty. 7- Solidarity with national liberation struggle. 8- Exports of communism.
SALIENT FEATURES OF RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY
- On 26th^ of December 1991, the Soviet Union was formally dissolved and it got disintegrated in 15 independent republic states. Out of 15 states 10 states agreed to form the common wealth of independent states (CIS). Baltic States ( Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) didn’t join CIS. Georgia and Ukraine have withdrawn in 2008 and 2018 respectively. Earlier the Soviet Union complied of 15 states. 1 - Armenia, 2 - Azerbaijan, 3 - Belarus, 4 - Estonia, 5 - Georgia, 6 - Kazakhstan 7 - Latvia 8 - Lithuania 9 - Kirgizstan
10 - Moldova 11 - Russia 12 - Tajikistan 13 - Turkistan’ 14 - Ukraine 15 - Uzbekistan
The disintegration of Soviet Union has been compared with the fall of mighty Roman Empire. Russia inherited the legacy of Soviet Union including the membership of UN Security Council and control of the soviet nuclear missile launching code. In the aftermath of the fall of the mighty Socialist state (USSR), reformulating foreign policy in completely changed environment was indeed a difficult task.
- There were six major challenges for foreign policy formulation before the Russian Federation: 1- Ideological Restructuring- economic policy should be very different after the demise of USSR. 2- Economic reconstruction and development through relation with the outside world USSR used to do trade with 30-40 countries Russian federation has to de-ideologies Foreign Policy and has to engage with capitalist countries.
In 2015, Russia came out of Post-Soviet Space and intervened in Syria.
- Solving Russian minority problems, One of the foreign policy of Russian federation has been to integrate the people of Russian origin ethnic. Russian living in the near-abroad to achieve this goal of ethnic and cultural unity of what Russia calls the Great Russian (Russians), White Russian (Belarus), and Little Russian (Ukraine). Around 25 to 30 million Russian live in post-soviet space. Russia has been making statements that protecting the rights and interest of ethnic Russians is one of the objectives of Russian foreign policy.
- Resolution of territorial disputes with China, There has been a territorial dispute between Public Republic of China and USSR but two communist giants were not successful in resolving the disputes rather there were clashes between two red armies on the borders. The leadership of the Russian federation is appreciate for resolving its territorial disputes with China as in 2005, it signed the “ Treaty of Good Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation and in 2008 the two countries signed an agreement under which 173 KMs of territorial area to china was surrendered. Now there is no territorial dispute between countries though they share 4,300 KMs long borders. Besides, China and Russia also revive its cordial relation between traditional allies like Cuba, Syria, Venezuela, Serbia, and Nicaragua.
- The Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in 2008, outlined five points upon which Russian foreign policy based- 1- Supremacy of International law. 2- Unacceptability of Unipolarity in International Politics. 3- The policy of Non-confrontation with any country including traditional rivals. 4- Friendly reactions with traditional allies and friends. 5- Protection of the interest and lives of Russian people.
- The Russian Foreign Policy of Re-alignment , China and Russia came together several times to veto the resolution passed by US against Syria. Conclusion- Russia Foreign policy analyst Mankoff says, while Russia is determined to resort what its leader consider is to be rightful place among the
world great powers. However, today Russian federation is hardly suited to play the Soviet Union role of the super power rivals to the United States.
RUSSIA AND THE UNITED NATIONS
United Nations established on 24th^ of October 1945 with the purpose,
To protect the upcoming generation from scare of war, To maintaining International peace and security, To re-affirm faith in fundamental human right, Soviet Union as permanent member of United Nation Security council.
- Russia as successor of USSR
When Soviet Union disintegrated the Russian federation became successor of Soviet Union and soviet membership and veto was transferred to the Russian federation. It means Russian Federation inherited the legacy of Soviet Union and responsibilities attaches as inherited as the legacy of the Soviet Union. It was also recognition of the fact that Russian federation is going to play an important role in international politics interestingly there are no objection from any corner on the transfer of the membership of Soviet Union to Russian Federation. Even the United States and its cold war allies didn’t object, the reason was that elimination of Russia/USSR from the United Nation Security Council and UN would have created a crisis for the UN charter itself (the UN charter mention that UNSC shall consist of 5 permanent members and 10 non-permanent members elected on basis of rotation basis). After the inheriting the legacy of Soviet Union as a permanent member of UNSC the Russian federation in beginning was bit cautious. Since it was concentrating on economic development and reconstruction it avoided confrontation with other members of UNSC to a great extent. The major concern of Russian Federation maintaining supremacy in the post-Soviet Space, regain the lost glory and influence of the former Soviet Union. This was the reason that the Russian
believes that the UN has to play an important role in resolving international disputes in the light of international law and UN charter.
- The UN reforms Russia has been given wage statement on the issue of UN reforms. Keeping in view its various statements, we can say that Russia believes in the limited enlargement of the UNSC which meets the interest of all countries of the world. Interestingly at times Russia had hinted that Russia believes in enlargement only in the non- permanent members of the UNSC that has a longer term.
- Russia has been critical of the UN members on the question of Non recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. It has been advocating the full recognition and opportunities to representatives of these two entities to participate in the meetings of the UN General Assembly. In April 2022 the UN General Assembly voted to suspend Russia’s membership in the UN human rights council. The suspension of membership was on the ground of violation of human rights by Russia and Ukraine. There were 93 votes in favor 24 against and 58 abstentions. Conclusion Russian federation since 1991 has been there in UN as the permanent member of UNSC in the beginning it was a bit cautious but after consolidating its economy it has been asserting its position as a major actor in the international arena which is quite visible from the frequent use of veto power by the Russian federation in the UNSC. The Russian federation has been effectively using the UN for protecting its interest in the post-soviet space and beyond. The coming together of the Russian federation and People Republic of China in UNSC is been red as revival of the cold war.
NATO AND RUSSIAN FEDERATION
There was cold war between USA and Soviet Union and NATO is one the manifestation of cold war. NATO is military alliance created in 1949, for countering soviet expansionism but after the USSR disintegrates there was no threat of soviet expansionism. But NATO continued under the leadership of USA started bypassing United Nations and started taking military action in the many parts of the world. Many scholars assume NATO as a redundant after the end of Soviet Union and it should be dismantled but NATO is not dismantled rather USA and other NATO members tried to expand NATO. Result of this step is 28-29 countries have joined NATO today. The main concern for the Russian federation is that, the eastward expansion of NATO is the threat to Russian security. However WARSAW Pact was dismantled with the disintegration of Soviet Union.
- Russia NATO cooperation Under the auspices of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council, representatives of NATO and the Russian Federation engage in negotiations. It is basically recognition of fact that Russia is still a power to recon with, because after the disintegration of Soviet Union Russia remains military super power. This was the reason, that the largest military alliance which is NATO responsible for spending 70% of the world defense budget.
- Partnership for Peace Program This program launched in 1994 and this was also developed to cooperation between NATO and Russia Federation.
- Paris Summit in 1997 Russian Federation and NATO signed a founding act on mutual relations, cooperation and security. It is important because both the entities that are Russian federation and NATO they declared that the cold war adversarial relations will not be there between the two entities. Since 1997, NATO and the Russian Federation have placed a strong focus on shared security, collaboration, communication, and goodwill.
Tajikistan). It means Russia officially declares it may go for limited nuclear war in circumstances demand. The Russian Federation also signed Strategic Offensive Reduction Treaty (SORT) in 2003. In 2011, this treaty was super sided by a new comprehensive arms control treaty that is New START (Strategic Arm Reduction Treaty) under this Russia promised along with the Untied Stated to cut the nuclear arsenal to 1,700 to 2,200 operationally deployed nuclear warheads. As we know that there are allegations and counter allegations so far as the proliferation of nuclear bombs are concerned thus the Russia is accused of providing nuclear technology to the People Republic of China to counter balance the United States and North Korea as well.
- The issue of missing nuclear weapons in 1997 Alexzander Lebed who was the Secretary of National Security Council of Russia declared in a TV interview that, 100 suitcase sized nuclear weapons were missing in Russia.
- Weapon industry in Russia is one of the most flourishing industries; Russia is the second largest supplier of conventional weapon in the international market. The Russian military industry employed 2.5 million people and it accounts for 20% of all manufacturing job of Russian Federation.
- Russia and USA has 90% of nuclear weapons of the world.
2017 to 2021 Exporters Importer United States of America India (28% by Russian Federation & 21.1% by China) Russia Saudi France Egypt China Australia Germany China
India and Saudi together account for 11% of the total global market share of arms imports.
Russia relation with USA
1- Historical Legacy - Russian federation inherited the legacy of Soviet Union and both were rivals and adversaries because of these two powers in the international arena there was cold war and the conflict were there between this two powers in international arena. From the beginning Russia has been viewed by the policy makers in the USA and other western powers as a rival. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union they were suspicious of Russia’s ambition and intentions. United States of America and other western powers willing to deal with Russia in a friendly way but later they realized that, there is divergence of approaches on various international issues.
2- Russian Federation and Deideolization- when Soviet Union disintegrated and Russia appeared as an independent country with Russian Federation than, Russia went with Deideolization of foreign policy. A real foreign policy was basically ideology in nature and Soviet Union policy used to believe export communalism. They believe that capitalism is the curse, it should be destroyed. That’s why ideological commitment was shown towards the communalism and by the soviet leaders all types of forms and manifestation of capitalism was opposed at that time. After the demise of the Soviet Union, Russian Federation adopted a policy that is called Deidolized foreign policy which means foreign policy will not be conducted on ideological lines rather national interest will be paramount. Russia will try not only to survive but also to exhale with developing nations with all other countries. In 1991 Russia was in economic depression and Russia want to come out the economic depression that why Russia went for shock therapy which means economic reforms that is fundamental to Russian domestic policies. All communist era, socio economic structures they were dismantled and new economic policy adopted which was encouraged by the United States of America.
both the country will not lose anything economically, because the trade between the Russian Federation and USA is less than 0.1% of US GDP.
Conclusion-
The relation between the Russian Federation and United States is all time low today is because of the war in Ukraine, or Russia intervention in Syria, Georgia.
