ABSTRACT

The “Introduction” chapter presents the book’s main question: how has Russia transformed its expanding economic footprint in Central and Eastern Europe into political influence? Despite three decades of transition to democracy and market economy, the countries from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) are yet to overcome significant governance deficits bordering on state capture in many instances. Russia, which seemed at one point to be on the road to Euro-Atlantic integration, has taken advantage of these institutional weaknesses to strengthen its economic grip on the region as part of the Kremlin’s strategy to return to a global power status. The chapter leads into the book’s main analysis of the fusion of political intentions and economic tools practiced by the Kremlin. The study also showcases the effects of the three decades of integration of Russian capital in the European economic fabric and the legacy of security service and political cum economic networks from the Soviet past.