ABSTRACT
Russia’s identity has been contested for a long time, as it geographically belongs to both Europe and Asia. Besides that, Russia’s Far East faces the Northern Pacific, making it a Pacific or an Asia-Pacific power. A more prominent identity discourse tradition has been emphasising Russia as a continental Eurasian power. Asia can be considered one of the strategic dimensions of Russia’s foreign and economic policy, with an important goal being the development of the Far East. A deep crisis in relations between Russia and the United States (US) together with the Indo-Pacific strategies of many regional states, enhanced cooperation within the Quad and the emergence of Quad Plus combine to make Russia’s pursuit of a balanced foreign policy course much more challenging. Russia’s interest in the Indo-Pacific region has a long history. Russia’s interest in the Indo-Pacific region has a long history.
