Crisis and EU foreign policy / Policy Brief
Russia's Machiavellian support for democracy
04/10/2010 By Natalia Shapovalova, Kateryna Zarembo
Russia has contributed to the subversion of pro-Western regimes in Georgia and Ukraine and supported authoritarian Belarus for years. However, Russia does not only show discontent with democratic leaders. Undemocratic ones do not gain its approval either, if their policies are not in line with Russian interests and demands.
This Policy Brief argues that Russia is not interested in bolstering a particular type of regime within its ‘sphere of privileged interests’ as an end in itself. Evidence shows that Russian policies in the neighbourhood adopt democracy promotion rhetoric when it is deemed effective for geopolitical reasons.
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Keywords
Civil society Democracy promotion Eastern Europe RussiaBio author: Natalia Shapovalova
Ukraine. Eastern Partnership. EU enlargement. Russia. Caucasus.
Bio author: Kateryna Zarembo
Visiting researcher at FRIDE and a fellow at the Open Society Institute.
