Russian Foreign Policy in Central Asia from 1991 to Present

Upon the dissolution of the USSR, its successor, Russia, faced the challenge of dealing with the post-Soviet republics in both regional and international affairs. This master thesis looks at a specific group among the former Soviet republics - the five Central Asian states. The thesis provides an analysis of the evolution of Russia's foreign policy towards Central Asia since independence, and divides the whole period into three sub-fields. The thesis also generalizes the characteristics of each period and argues for an increasing importance of Central Asia in Russia's global strategy. By analyzing the United States', China's and Russia's future plan in Central Asia, this thesis also demonstrates the difficulties Russia faces in order to rehabilitate its traditional influence in Central Asia, and the boundaries of its expanding impact.