Russia’s strategy of forging spaces around itself

Abstract

Space has always been an organic, intimate element of Russia's mentality and politics. The country has indeed a long history of moulding spaces around itself which respond to precise (geo)political, economic, and cultural strategies. Today, it pursues its interests mainly in three spaces: in the post-Soviet space, in a space where relations with the US and the European Union (EU) take place, and in the space that includes the Middle East and North Africa. In this manner it seeks to economise resources and build the desired relations with its relevant counterparts for the sake of re-gaining its previous status in international politics. However, Russia's ambitions are mired in its parallel identity redefinition process and in the complex, unpredictable dynamics with the West. This fact forces her to confirm its traditional spatial vectors of foreign policy. It does not have the potential to provoke systemic changes in international affairs on its own.