Last week, TRENDS Research and Advisory Council hosted a conference in Abu Dhabi on Russian Foreign Policy and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). TRENDS invited EURUS professor Piotr Dutkiewicz to participate in a select panel of Russian experts brought together to discuss and debate how Russia’s foreign policy impacts the GCC. Professor Dutkiewicz shared his impressions of the conference themes with us below:
“A key objective of this event was to explore key issues and factors influencing Russian foreign policy in the region and how the states of the GCC can react and respond. The focus of the discussions was identifying the aims and intentions of Russian foreign policy for the region; evaluating the extent to which the GCC was a foreign policy priority for Russia; and exploring the future of Russian foreign policy for the GCC. To understand Russian foreign policy in connection to the GCC it is essential to consider and examine Russia’s actions in the wider Middle East, and even further afield in relation to Europe and the United States. The discussions highlighted how Russia’s foreign policy in relation to the region is, or at least appears to be, highly inconsistent. At the same time, what may appear to be inconsistency can often be explained as principled decision making, or the taking of a pragmatic approach in response to particular circumstances. It must be remembered that Russia is a significant global power and its foreign policy decisions and activities will have global dimensions alongside the local/regional concerns, and its actions will be heavily influenced by the positions and influences of other global actors.
In order to understand Russia’s foreign policy in general, it is necessary to understand how Russia is approaching its global position. There is a great deal of talk about how weak Russia has been or still is, and wide ranging commentaries assert that it is no longer a major influence on the direction of international politics. However, a quick glance to the daily news shows that Russia is becoming, once again, a major global actor. A central feature to this reassertion of its global identity is Russia’s attempts to forge alternative approaches to world order. The diversification or fragmentation of the international system is a prominent feature of global affairs as various states and groups of states assert identities and understandings that may or may not coalesce with the dominant discourse. The dominant discourse of international relations is based on Western/Euro-centric/Altanticist versions of the world and global institutions. Russia’s view of the world is that new ways of thinking are needed in response to this dominant discourse. This means Russia is taking a pro-active approach to much of it foreign relations whereby existing international institutions and practices are broadly accepted, but new assertions on the principles and practices underlying these systems are being put forth. In attempting to articulate a new understanding of international relations Russia is seeking new and diverse allies in support of its global ambitions which will further contribute to feelings of inconsistency when looking at the particular actions the country takes”.
More information can be found on the TRENDS website available here.