Internationalization of Russian Regions and the Consequences for Russian Foreign and Security Policy

The main objective of the Regionalization of Russian Foreign and Security Project is to analyze regional dimensions of Russian foreign and security policy, an aspect in the relationship between the center and the regions that has not been subject to any systematic research so far. The project aims at determining how the central state understands the specific interests of Russian regions and to what extent regional processes have an impact on the formulation of Moscow's foreign and security policy. Given a dramatically changed geopolitical environment and the absence of a unifying ideology, the relationship between Russia's regions and the Moscow center is a crucial factor for both the country's internal stability and its position in Europe and the world. The study presented marks the beginning of a series of working papers to be carried out in the context of this international research project. The author provides preliminary ideas and lays out the conceptual framework for later inquiries. The paper explains important terminology, elaborates relevant questions and formulates concrete theses.