Russian Foreign Policy 2014-2017: Strategies within Sanctions



Russia has spent recent years in a state of international isolation. Economic sanctions, introduced after the invasion of Ukraine, exerted and continue to exert multifaceted influence on all aspects of life in Russia. Under these conditions, Russia’s foreign policy had to change significantly.

Today, we are faced with a fairly unique situation: on the one hand, it is not quite a Cold War, but on the other, all normal international communication and relations have been skewed. However, no one country, no matter how large or powerful, can be completely self-reliant.



This course will focus on cases that became particularly significant for the Russian administration and the Russian political elite. This is the first time that Russian leaders have had to deal with such problems. It is therefore a safe assumption that we are dealing with a unique stage in the evolution of Russia’s foreign policy. These topics can be of interest not only to political or international scientists. Life under sanctions has significantly influenced the worldview of a large part of the Russian populace, and this will inevitably affect the formation of new socio-political and cultural priorities.