Author: Konstantine Zhgenti, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Georgia to the State of Kuweit, Research Fellow at the Levan Mikeladze Diplomatic Training and Research Inatitute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (until September 2019)

February 2019

The aim of this article is first – to examine what were expectations about Russia’s “democratic future” based on: deep knowledge of Russian realities or “Realpolitik wishes” of the West? And second, – to foresee the Russian policy in general, but mainly on the post-Soviet space, in the 21st century, based on the experience of Georgian-Russian relations after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

These relations are based on multilateral, regional and bilateral interests, and not only because of the military-strategic and economic importance of South Caucasus, but also due to the rising international interest towards it.

The main question about the future of Russian foreign policy is as usual, based on the issue related to its domestic policy: namely on possible development of the Russian governing system and the possibility of it’s becoming more democratic and oriented towards the people’s-interests.

Can we, without such a change, expect any substantive, strategic changes in Russian foreign policy?