A study of the role of leadership in Russian foreign policy (1991-2019)

This thesis is a study of the role of leadership in Russian foreign policy from 1991 to 2019. The study attempts to explain the leadership roles of the three Russian presidents within the context of their foreign policy decisions, actions and related parameters. Over the periods from 1991 to 2019, Russian Federation has been led by three different presidents, whose foreign policy tendencies differed and their decisions were shaped by many factors determined by the circumstances of the time and the prioritized Russian national interests. Accordingly, the aim of this thesis is to show in which circumstances these leadership roles have been formed and how they were reflected into Russian foreign policy by providing the reasons behind specific foreign policy moves during the rule of the three leaders. For this purpose, the thesis is divided into seven chapters. The first chapter consists of the introduction and is organized to describe the aims and importance of the thesis, the research questions, limitations of the thesis, the methodology of the research and the literature review. The second chapter constitutes the leadership role in post-Soviet foreign policy. The next four chapters provide a detailed presentation of each three presidents' leadership role along with the changing leadership perception and role in Russian foreign policy. Thus, Yeltsin's leadership role is discussed in the third chapter, Putin in the fourth, Medvedev in the fifth and Putin's post-2012 period in the sixth chapter, touching upon the changing patterns and specific moves of foreign policy during their presidency periods. The final section is the conclusion.