Russia's relations with the CIS states in the context of NATO expansion, 1991--1998: A complex relations approac

In the latter half of the 1990s, Russia has sought greater integration with the Commonwealth of Independent States. Interestingly, this has occurred at the same time as Russian foreign policy decision-makers perceived NATO expansion as a threat. The relationship between these two developments creates a need for a new theoretical approach to examine the ways in which Russia seeks integration. Using Complex Relations Approach, a variant of Neo-Institutionalism, the development of Russia's foreign policy is traced from formulation to implementation. This thesis investigates how Russia has used its foreign policy tools in innovative ways to achieve closer integration of the CIS states in the context of the perceived threat posed by NATO expansion.