ABSTRACT
This chapter is built around the idea that the invasion of Ukraine has ended one important period in Russia’s foreign policy and has pushed the country to embrace Asia. There is a growing sentiment within the Russian analytical community as well as the political elites that Russia and the West are two civilizationally distinct and therefore incongruous ideas as well as geographies set to perennially confront each other. Yet by shifting towards Asia, Russia risks becoming too dependent on China. This chapter looks at what options Moscow still has to salvage its deteriorating geopolitical position. It is also argued that despite a tilted balance of power between China and Russia, their cooperation against the collective West will take precedence over the differences they have.
