| ID | 090944 |
| Title Proper | Russia's spheres of interest, not influence |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Trenin, Dmitri |
| Publication | 2009. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | In the aftermath of the 2008 Georgian war, President Dmitri Medvedev, setting out Russia's foreign policy principles, spoke about the country's spheres of "privileged interests" and the government's obligation to defend Russian citizens abroad.1 Coming less than a month after Russia's armed response to Georgia's attack on its breakaway province of South Ossetia, where most residents had been provided with Russian passports, this statement produced a shock. It sounded as if Moscow was reclaiming the Soviet geopolitical legacy of Russia's spheres of influence and was prepared to intervene with force in countries with significant ethnic Russian minorities. The talk of Russian assertiveness, making rounds since the mid-2000s, was substantially enhanced by accusations of Russia's outright aggressive behavior. |
| `In' analytical Note | Washington Quarterly Vol. 32, No. 4; Oct 2009: p.3 - 22 |
| Journal Source | Washington Quarterly Vol. 32, No. 4; Oct 2009: p.3 - 22 |
| Key Words | Dmitri Medvedev ; Georgian War ; Russia ; Foreign Policy ; Global Financial Crisis ; Barack Obama ; United States |