Analysis On Russia's Strategic Choices Towards NATO's Eastern Expansion

Russia dedicated to revitalize its national economy and restored its status as a great power which taken as its historic mission since its foundation. Meanwhile, the U.S.-led NATO intensified the process of NATO's eastward expansion in order to prevent Russia's rise. The relationship between Russia and NATO has great influence on the construction of new security system of Europe and the Russian social transformation and the new changes of contemporary great powers relations. The main contradictory between Russia and NATO was reflected through containment and counter-containment in NATO's expansion. The research on Russia's strategic choice in face of NATO's eastward expansion is very important to analyze and predict the future direction of Russia's diplomacy. The paper is divided into four parts.Part one, NATO's Eastward Expansion after the Cold WarBeing outcome of the Cold War, NATO lost the basis of its existence for the dismiss of Warsaw Pact and the breakup of the former Soviet Union. NATO took the road of eastward expansion to maintain its vitality and avoid self-extinction. The member states of NATO and the eastern Europe countries have different motivation in their consent with the eastward expansion. The U.S. is the leading force in propelling NATO's eastward expansion and its main strategy intention is to consolidate its influence in Europe and strengthen its control over European and contain the rise of Russia. Western European allies and the countries of Eastern Europe share the same goal with the United States with respect to the containment and defense of Russia. Western European allies worried that Russia will pose a threat to the European security if its process of democratization could not carry on smoothly. Whereas, Eastern European countries are afraid of being re-incorporated into the sphere of influence of Russia.NATO's eastward expansion lasted 13 years from the establishment of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council to the second expansion plan was formally completed on March 29, 2004. During this period, NATO signed a series of treaties with eastern Europe countries and Russia. The number of NATO...