The Birth of the Multipolar World and the Geopolitical and Historical Foundations of the Imperial Strategy in Russian Foreign Policy

Abstract

In the second half of the last century, and especially in the past four decades, fundamental and historical changes have occurred in the world, particularly in the three semi-peripheral regions of the world: Latin America, Southern Europe, and Central and Eastern Europe. The bipolar world came to an end, and the process of constructing a multipolar world began. In Central and Eastern Europe and "Eurasia," the Soviet Union and Moscow's Central European empire, that is, the socialist world system, disappeared. Provisionally, a single world superpower remained—the United States—and the world became unipolar. But immediately, the struggle to establish a multipolar world began. New regional, intra-regional, and inter-regional integrations emerged, and new strategic alliances were established among blocs of world powers. In the third decade of the 21st century, the world system became multipolar and interdependent. At this time, the BRICS countries—in particular, China and Russia—and the European Union began to occupy a prominent position in global politics and economics. The Russian Federation created the Commonwealth of Independent States, thus reorganizing the alliance and cooperation between former Soviet Union countries. Another new organization led by the Russian Federation is the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), also known as the Eurasian Union, an economic union created on January 1, 2015. In Russia, a new notion and concept emerged: the near abroad, or near neighborhood. This means that Russia is interested in maintaining its political, economic, military, and cultural influence and hegemony over the newly created states, former members of the USSR, and part of the Commonwealth of Independent States. In other words, the "Russian Monroe Doctrine" was declared. Russia began to pursue imperial policy, asserting that the country cannot fall into the regional power trap. Russia can only exist as a great power. As a result of these transformations and changes, contradictions and the struggle between the emerging and rising great powers (Russia and China) and the established and dominant power (the United States) for world dominance and hegemony intensified. The purpose of this article is to examine and analyze the imperial strategy of Russia’s foreign policy since Vladimir Putin came to power on March 26, 2000. Using a comparative analysis method on documents, sources, and doctrines developed and declared by the Russian Federation over the past thirty years, this article reveals the geopolitical and historical foundations of Russia's foreign policy strategy.