Making Russia Great Again: The Importance of National Identity and Policy Elites in Russian Foreign Policy

Abstract

This paper examines the aspirations of Russian policy elites in defining post-Soviet Russia’s foreign policy objectives by attempting to restore a great power status in accordance to its historic national self-images and interests. Promoting Russia’s resurgence as a great power within the existing international order has become the primary domestic strategy during the 1990s as Russia attempted to recover from internal collapse, and has served as the foundation of modern Russian foreign policy under the auspices of President Vladimir Putin since the early 2000s. Russian resurgence is defined by the policy elite’s rejection of rapid and total Westernization in the foreign policy realm as unbefitting Russia’s greatness. This work seeks to untangle some of the historical factors intertwined with policy elite expectations which underlie the contemporary foundations of Russian foreign policy. A constructivist analysis can help expose these deep interconnections between Russian national identities and the psyche of the Russian foreign policy elite, which is helpful in tracing the direction of foreign policy formation. The expectation is that this analysis will provide a more in-depth understanding of the significance of history, national identity, and individual actors within the Russian foreign policy realm. The influence and authority of Russian foreign policy is readily felt on the global stage today. It is also present in many spheres of contemporary engagement between Russia and the West. Understanding the mindset of Russian policy elites therefore remains significant in formulating a wholesome and successful policy response to Russian actions.