| The search for identity in post-Soviet Russia has accompanied the political, economic and post-imperial transitions that began when the Soviet Union fell over a decade ago. The Constructivist literature in International Relations posits that these domestic processes, especially the politico-cultural process of developing identity, are linked to the country's foreign policies. This dissertation looks at two case studies during the first years after independence, the Russian reaction to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) moves to enlarge and the partnership agreement that Russia and NATO negotiated in May 1997, and Russian participation in the peace process to end the military hostilities in Bosnia and the Implementation Force (IFOR) that enforced the Dayton Accords.; NATO enlargement and the conflict in Bosnia both produced heated debate among the Russian political elite. Russian politicians and observers saw Russia's interests as opposed to the West's, which led to detailed discussions of Russia's place in the European security system, Russia's national interests and foreign policy decisions that would incorporate these aspects. Observers were adamant that Russia was, is and will be a great power, and the need for recognition of Russia's prestige colored most commentary.; Yet Russia pursued policies in both cases that resulted in cooperation with NATO, and the West more generally. The sources analyzed in the dissertation demonstrate that President Boris Yeltsin and Foreign Ministers Andrei Kozyrev and Evgenii Primakov were committed to developing a relationship with Western nations that both reflected Russia's status as a great power and promoted for Russia a place in European institutions. The role of individuals in advocating policies, Russia's need for financial assistance and the development of an elite that would prevent the country's isolation produced normative interests that encouraged cooperation. While such policies were highly contested, they demonstrate that Russia can work cooperatively with the West in situations when such collaboration is unexpected. |
