![]() ![]() While cooperation with China has been progressing, the poisoning of leading opposition activist Alexei Navalny caused further strain to Moscow’s relationship with the European Union. Meanwhile, 2020 brought the further multi-vectorialization of Russian foreign policy, which is highly likely to continue in 2021. It underscored the primacy of Russia’s domestic agenda and the principle of national self-reliance over foreign policy and engagement with the international system, which is dominated by the West. ![]() The constitutional reform also emphasized the primacy of Russian law over international law, moving Russia further away from multilateralism. Through a national vote that eventually took place on July 1, 2020, Putin secured an option to run for president beyond 2024 when his current mandate expires and re-arranged the existing power system in a way that could allow him to maintain control even if he leaves the Kremlin. Domestically, the most visible aspect of this turbulence was a prolonged, somewhat messy process of constitutional change. The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic damaged Russia’s economy, already hit by low oil prices, and disrupted President Vladimir Putin’s political agenda. The year 2020 was an unexpectedly turbulent one for the Russian Federation in terms of both domestic politics and foreign policy. To read the complete text of the report, including citations, please download the PDF here. Below you will find the introduction and conclusion to the 2020 report of DGAP’s Strategy Group on Russia, both written by András Rácz and Milan Nič.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |