Russia and the west: An analysis of Russia's relations with the West during the Georgian War and Ukrainian Conflict
Author
Abed Al-Karim, Ahmad
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2018
Submitted on
2018-05-31
Pages
64
Abstract
This thesis examines Russia’s relations with the West, focusing on how the 2008 war in Georgia and the 2014 conflict in Ukraine shaped those relations. The research question is: Why did Russia’s foreign policy toward the West develop as it did during these two conflicts? The analysis employs two theoretical lenses—defensive realism and social constructivism—to explore security-driven motives (balance-of-power concerns, Russia’s perception of Western hegemonic ambitions, NATO/EU enlargement) alongside the role of political culture and identity in Kremlin decision-making. Methodologically, it combines a historical review of Russia–West relations from 1991 to 2008 and a literature review with qualitative content analysis of three presidential addresses (Medvedev 05.11.2008; Putin 18.04.2014 and 04.12.2014) sourced from the Kremlin’s official website. The excerpt also outlines the conflict narratives: Georgia’s post–Rose Revolution dynamics, clashes in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and in Ukraine the Euromaidan protests, Crimea’s annexation, and the armed uprisings in Donetsk and Luhansk, noting a sharper Western response and sanctions in 2014 than in 2008. The thesis further discusses the roles of Western actors (the US, EU, and NATO). Its aim is to clarify how security imperatives and identity factors interacted to worsen Russia–West relations; the final comparative findings are presented later in the thesis and are not included in this excerpt.
Dette speciale undersøger forholdet mellem Rusland og Vesten med fokus på, hvordan Georgien-krigen i 2008 og Ukraine-konflikten i 2014 formede relationerne. Forskningsspørgsmålet er: Hvorfor udviklede Ruslands udenrigspolitik over for Vesten sig, som den gjorde, under disse to konflikter? Analysen bygger på to teoretiske tilgange – defensiv realisme og socialkonstruktivisme – for at belyse både sikkerhedspolitiske motiver (magtbalance, opfattelsen af vestlig hegemonisøgning, NATO/EU-udvidelse) og betydningen af politisk kultur og identitet i Kremls beslutninger. Metodisk kombineres en historisk gennemgang af Rusland–Vest-forholdet fra 1991 til 2008 og et litteraturreview med kvalitativ indholdsanalyse af tre præsidenttalers indhold (Medvedev 05.11.2008; Putin 18.04.2014 og 04.12.2014) hentet fra Kremls officielle hjemmeside. Uddraget beskriver også konfliktforløbene: den georgiske kontekst efter Rosenrevolutionen, kampene i Sydossetien og Abkhasien, samt i Ukraine Euromajdan, annekteringen af Krim og de væbnede opstande i Donetsk og Luhansk, og fremhæver Vestens skarpere reaktion og sanktioner i 2014 end i 2008. Specialet diskuterer derudover Vestlige aktørers roller (USA, EU og NATO). Formålet er at forstå samspillet mellem sikkerhedshensyn og identitetsfaktorer i forværringen af Rusland–Vest-forholdet; de endelige, sammenfattende resultater præsenteres senere i specialet og fremgår ikke af dette uddrag.
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