The end of the Cold War marked a great success for the West, although it resulted in an increasingly complex relationship with Russia. Russia’s aggressive actions and assertive rhetoric over the last two decades, such as the use of military power for illegal annexation of Crimea, increased and sometimes provoked military activities in the Euro-Atlantic area.
Russia’s continued involvement in Libya, Syria and the wider Middle East to reclaim its status as a global power broker has generated greater concern. The resurgence of Russia should be considered with the redistribution of geostrategic power from the West to the East and the continued rise of China with increasing political and military influence over global affairs. Thus, the trends affecting and emanating from Russia cannot be analysed in isolation. Russia’s relationships with China, the United States, India, and Europe, are expected to be key for understanding the global strategic context over the next two decades.
