The Asian Vector : Decoy or Asset of Russia’s Power ?
In general, Moscow’s stated intention over the past several years to rebalance its diplomacy and foreign economic relations in favor of the “Asian vector” is met with skepticism. In Western countries, this rebalancing is frequently considered to be mainly the product of the crisis in strategic relations between Russia and the Euro-Atlantic community after the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Russian experts and scholars, meanwhile, also seem perplexed. However, as difficult as it may be, Russia’s “Asian pivot” deserves attention, as for this country it corresponds to stakes and challenges that relate to both its security and its claimed great power status. The question is whether Russia is making the best use of the possibilities opened up by the Asian context, which has appeared a little more favourable to its interests in the recent past.