The debate on Russia’s re-emergence as a significant player in the new Global order has become prominent in policy making as well as in academic discourse. Resurgence of Russia and emergence of a new multipolar world order challenges the dominance of unipolar world. Russia’s re-appearance in global politics embraces changes and expects to prosper in the twenty-first century. Russia redefining itself as a new power block expects to exert influence in various dimensions of international politics. Russia’s emergence as a power block may lead to global transformation.
Today, Russia is emerging as a stronger nation and asserting its presence in the international political scenario. It has stood up against the West and demonstrated its political strength and military prowess by taking on the ISIS in Syria. Clearly, Russia has rebounded on the world stage and all said and done, it will be a factor in deciding the future course of the political settlement in Syria.Russia’s role in Ukraine and its relation with West and emerging close contact with East mainly with China has added new dimension to present geopolitical and ideological sphere. On Russia’s pivot to Asia, China seems to have benefited by intensifying economic and political ties with Russia. China-Russia series of big energy and defence deals are having significant impact on boosting their relationship. Russia’s cooperation with China has since intensified over the past few years.Today the debate is focusing on the facts that Russia’s role is significant for international stability, for the crisis management, and for addressing certain global concerns.
Although today Russia’s military capacity or its relative position cannot be compared to that of the Soviet Union but still Russia remains as the major military power by and any measure.Russia’s defence industry, except shipbuilding remains intact. Russia’s national interest still involves former Soviet Republics (excluding Baltic States). It is evident looking into the present politico-security developments in the World; Russia is trying to balance against other power centres. How Russia successes in doing so and what motivates its policy choices are the issues that has to be watched carefully. Whereas, on the regional level which here means Ex-Soviet states, Russia’s great power status compared to its neighbours are also contested and in that context what are Russia’s motivation, goals and priorities and what are the instruments that it is using and the interplay between regional and global level and the great power policy will have to be followed carefully.
However, the argument is such that if Russia continues in this way, it will be recognised as a great power from the traditional point of view but it’ll be a player of different kind. However, looking into the western sanctions on Russia and declining oil and gas prices, all these factors might become an obstacle in Russia’s road for success as a big and significant player in the new global order. A general conclusion is such that while Russia’s foreign policy has become more pragmatic and responsive under Putin, there is a need to address growing politico-economic scenario in the domestic front too to make Russia more prominent in the global context.
References
See Alexander A. Dunkin & Natalya I. Ivanova, eds.“Global Perestroika: Transformation of the World Order”, Vesmir, Moscow, October 2015
“Mir Na Zvode”, Valdai discussion club, Moscow, October 2015.
Piotr Dudkevich and Richard Sakwa, “Chetberth beka pocle SSR”, Ria Novosti Press, Moscow, 2015.
Orlando Figes, “Revolutionary Russia”, Pelicon Publication, Russia, October 2015,
“Brothers Armed”, Moscow, in 2015.