Foreign policy of Russian Federation towards post-Soviet states: the case of Ukraine, 2000-2022

Vanjska politika Ruske Federacije prema Ukrajini za vrijeme Putinovog mandata ključno je obilježena odnosima NATO-a i Rusije te NATO-a i Ukrajine. Kao prekretnica u vanjskoj politici određen je početak ukrajinske krize 2014. kada se Rusija okrenula agresivnijoj vanjskoj politici prema Ukrajini što je konačno eskaliralo početkom ratnog sukoba 2022. Rad nastoji razmotriti kakva je bila vanjska politika od Putinovog dolaska na vlast do samog ratnog sukoba, pri čemu se razmatra povijesna pozadina odnosa Rusije i Ukrajine te njenog utjecaja na rusku vanjsku politiku, uporaba meke moći i ekonomskih mjera s ciljem utjecaja na ukrajinsku politiku kao jednu od odrednica same vanjske politike te geopolitička pozadina vanjske politike koja se pokazuje kao njen temelj. Ključni cilj ruske vanjske politike prema Ukrajini jest održavanje iste u svojoj sferi interesa što je Rusija nastojala ostvariti u najvećoj mjeri kroz prijetnje, ekonomske mjere i meku moć do 2014. kada se okreće vanjskoj politici koja uključuje uporabu vojne sile. Konačno, ruska vanjska politika prema Ukrajini stavlja se u širi okvir ruske vanjske politike prema postsovjetskom prostoru, no ističu se i specifičnosti ukrajinskog slučaja.The foreign policy of the Russian Federation towards Ukraine during Putin’s mandate is mainly characterized by the relations between NATO and Russia, as well as the relations between NATO and Ukraine. The turning point in the foreign policy of Russian Federation was the start of the Ukrainian crisis in 2014 when Russia turned to a more aggressive foreign policy towards Ukraine which ultimately escalated in a war conflict in 2022. This thesis strives to review the foreign policy of Russian Federation since Putin came to power until the start of the war conflict. The historic background of the relations between Russia and Ukraine and its effect on the Russian foreign policy, the use of soft power and economic measures with the aim of influencing Ukrainian politics and policies, as well as geopolitics as the basis of the foreign policy, are all taken into consideration. The main goal of the Russian foreign policy towards Ukraine is keeping Ukraine in its sphere of interest, which Russia tried to accomplish through threats, economic measures and soft power until 2014 which was a turning point towards a foreign policy that includes the use of military power. Finally, the Russian foreign policy is put into context of a broader Russian foreign policy towards post-Soviet states. Nevertheless, the particularities about the Ukrainian case are distinguished