Phoenix: Foreign Policy of Russian Federation

The main problematic of the present study is the foreign policy of the Russian Federation in post- Cold War era. First of all, the factors that affect Russian foreign policy are discussed in detail. Then, the Yeltsin era, in which the country went through a process of articulation to the international capitalist system as a successor State of the USSR, is analysed. Finally, the following Putin era is scrutinized. The Russian Federation, being affected by the continuity powers of its prodecessor, the USSR, has also altered itself as a new State being articulated to the international system and thus undergone a dramatic transformation. This transformation has shown itself in the country’s foreign policy as well. In some 20 years passed since the dissolution of the USSR, the Russian Federation has first faltered to a great extent and then started to recover gradually. Due to this characteristic, it can be resembled to Phoenix that rose out of its ashes.