Russia's Ukraine policy against the background of Russian-Western competition

This dissertation is a theory-guided, empirical analysis of Russia's Ukraine policy during Vladimir Putin's presidency. The book is the first comprehensive study that considers the main goals and strategies of Russian foreign policy in general, and towards Ukraine in particular. It deals with contemporary problems (EU-Russia/EU-NATO relations) and presents an overview of historic legacies. It analyzes two of the main dimensions - economic and security - of relations in detail. It is also original in terms of its theoretical framework - a comparative analysis of Russia's Ukraine policy on the basis of realism and constructivism within a framework of the "third debate." This will be essential reading for understanding the background, goals, and dynamics of Russia's Ukraine policy, and it will be of a particular interest to students and researchers working on Russian-Western relations. Dissertation.