ABSTRACT
Conclusions This chapter has three interrelated objectives. Initially it examines the empirical findings of the two case studies based on the IT/ED framework. I begin by outlining the theoretical argument and how the empirical evidence supported the causal explanation. Having offered this framework as an alternative to traditional alignment theories, the second objective is to distill the theoretical and empirical insights of the work. I conclude with a discussion of the policy implications of these insights. Findings of the IT/ED Framework Chapter 2 hypothesized that when internal threats to leaders are high and economic dependence on Russia is severe, leaders adopt strong pro-Russian alignments. Reciprocally, when internal threats to leaders do not exist and the level of economic dependence is low, leaders adopt more pro-independent (often antiRussian) alignment patterns. When the values of the independent variables were mixed, leaders adopted moderate or weak pro-Russian alignments.
