| Summary/Abstract |
The article analyses Russia’s perceptions of, and attitudes to the developments in and around Kosovo, as well as their implications for Russia’s foreign and security policy-thinking and policy-making. It is argued that the Kosovo crisis has influenced Russia’s ideas on its relations with the outside world in a more fundamental way than any other event during the last decade. Russia’s policy during the crisis and Russia’s involvement in the crisis management are considered. The ongoing reassessment of Russia’s national interests in the light of the Kosovo crisis might have a significant impact on the major lines of Russia’s foreign and security policy, especially with respect to such issues as the role of military factors and the use of force. In particular, there may be substantive links between the case of Kosovo and the war in Chechnya. However, although comments in Russia about the performance of NATO-led conflict settlement in Kosovo are becoming increasingly sceptical, the issue seems to be overshadowed by new foreign policy lines associated with the change in the political leadership in Moscow.
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