This book aims to explain the reasons behind Russia's international conduct in the post-Soviet era, examining Russian foreign policy discourse with a particular focus on the major foreign policy schools of Atlanticism, Eurasianism, derzhavniki, realpolitik, geopolitics, neo-Marxism, radical nationalism, and post-positivism. The Russian post-Soviet threat perceptions and national security doctrines are studied. The author critically assesses the evolution of Russian foreign policy decision-making over the last 25 years and analyzes the roles of various governmental agencies, interest groups and subnational actors. Concluding that a foreign policy consensus is gradually emerging in contemporary Russia, Sergunin argues that the Russian foreign policy discourse aims not only at the formulation of an international strategy but also at the search for a new national identity.Alexander Sergunin argues that Russia's current domestic situation, defined by numerous socio-economic, inter-ethnic, demographic, environmental, and other problems, dictates the need to abandon superpower ambitions and to rather set modest foreign policy goals.

本书旨在解释俄罗斯在后苏联时代的国际行为背后的原因，研究俄罗斯的外交政策话语，特别是大西洋主义、欧亚主义、德扎夫尼克、现实政治、地缘政治、新马克思主义、激进民族主义和后实证主义等主要外交政策流派。研究了俄罗斯的后苏联威胁认知和国家安全理论。作者批判性地评估了俄罗斯外交政策决策在过去25年中的演变，并分析了各种政府机构、利益集团和次国家行为者的作用。结论是，在当代俄罗斯正在逐渐形成一种外交政策共识，谢尔盖宁认为，俄罗斯的外交政策话语不仅旨在制定国际战略，而且还旨在寻求新的国家认同。亚历山大-谢尔盖宁认为，俄罗斯目前的国内形势，由众多社会经济、种族间、人口、环境和其他问题所决定，决定了需要放弃超级大国的野心，而是制定温和的外交政策目标。