Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Russian Foreign Policy: The Return of Great Power Politics (A Council on Foreign Relations Book)

Now thoroughly updated, this widely praised book provides a thoughtful and balanced examination of the development of Russian foreign policy since the end of the Cold War. This edition also places developments of the past two decades into the broader sweep of Russian history. Jeffrey Mankoff argues that Russia's more assertive behavior since Vladimir Putin became president in 2000 has resulted from both a deep-seated consensus among its elite about Russia's identity and interests as well as a favorable convergence of events―including the persistence of high energy prices and the check on U.S. power resulting from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Because these factors are the result of long-term trends, the author argues that there is little reason to expect that the election of Dmitry Medvedev will fundamentally alter Russian foreign policy behavior. Presenting an evenhanded treatment of controversial issues, Mankoff analyzes Russia's interactions with major global actors, including the United States, the European Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and China. Despite Moscow's often-harsh rhetoric and the deployment of Russian forces against Georgia in 2008, the author convincingly demonstrates that there is little reason to fear a return to a Cold War-like standoff with the West. Instead, he argues, today's Russia is more interested in restoring what its leaders consider to be its rightful place among the world's major powers rather than in directly challenging the West. Thoroughly researched and knowledgeable, this book will be invaluable for all readers interested in Russia. Review Mankoff argues convincingly that there is little reason to believe that Russia will challenge the West or start a confrontation; they are so highly interdependent that any attempt at open confrontation would be reduced to a senseless zero-sum game. Hence--and despite its sometimes-biased overtones--Mankoff's book is thoroughly researched and provides in-depth knowledge and expertise regarding the contours of Russian foreign-policy thinking. Furthermore, Mankoff has successfully found a balance that makes the book valuable for both informed and uninformed audiences. Anyone with an interest in the thorny issue of Russia's foreign policy should read this book.--Review of Central and East European Law Russian foreign policy has never been explicitly anti-American and Russian leaders have always sought good relations with the United States to the extent that it was compatible with their main goal: Russia is a great power. With this second edition, revised and enlarged, the author hopes to show how this hypothesis remains relevant and shapes the behavior of Russia on the international scene. According J.Mankoff, the statement of Russian foreign policy is the culmination of a process begun under President Yeltsin when the majority of the Russian political elite considered that the integration of Russia in the West was neither possible nor desirable. Despite the presence of some stereotypes widespread in the place of Russia, the richness of the analyzes presented in the book helps in any case to understand the ambitions and aspirations of post-Soviet Russia on the international scene.--The French Journal of Political Science Very well-written. . . . After a lucid analysis of the main forces driving Russian foreign policy, the book turns to the relationship between Russia and some of the major global powers, namely the US, the EU and China. . . . The way in which the book combines rigorous and thorough research work, a clear-cut argumentation and structure, and a very dense but accessible style makes it one of the best available on the subject. Consequently, it should be read by scholars of Russian foreign policy as well as all those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the topic, all too often treated in a conventional or, worse, partisan way, either justifying or condemning Russia's foreign policy witho