Russia’s Changing Identity: In Search of a Role in the 21st Century

The article addresses the main moments in the process of Russia’s state consolidation (the unification around the Tsardom of Moscow; the empire ruled by Peter I; the Soviet Union and its dissolution, and the emergence of the Russian Federation as a state), analyzing the evolution of its features as an actor in the international arena. The author suggests that the unifying trait in this process has been Russia’s ambition to showcase itself as an independent actor, with a central role in the international system, and that is not submitted to external orders. It also analyzes the foreign policy challenges currently faced by Russia.