Editing Foreign relations of Russia (section)

== Multilateral ==
=== NATO and the European Union ===
{{See also|NATO–Russia relations|Russia–European Union relations}}
[[Russia]] is a member of the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]] (CIS), [[Union of Russia and Belarus]], [[Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe]] (OSCE), [[Paris Club]], and the [[North Atlantic Cooperation Council]] (NACC). It signed the [[NATO]] [[Partnership for Peace]] initiative on 22 June 1994. On 20 May 1997, NATO and Russia signed the [[NATO–Russia relations|NATO–Russia Founding Act]], which the parties hoped would provide the basis for an enduring and robust partnership between the Alliance and Russia—one that could make an important contribution to European security architecture in the 21st century, though already at the time of its signing doubts were cast on whether this accord could deliver on these ambitious goals.<ref>{{cite web |website=Berlin Information-centre for Transatlantic Security |author=Otfried Nassauer |author2=Oliver Meier | title = The NATO-Russia "Founding Act": Stepping Stone or Stumbling Block for a European Security Architecture? | date = 4 July 1997 | url = http://www.bits.de/public/briefingpaper/bp97-1.htm | type= Summit briefing | access-date =23 August 2008}}</ref>

This agreement was superseded by the [[NATO–Russia relations|NATO–Russia Council]] that was agreed at the [[Reykjavík Ministerial]] and unveiled at the Rome NATO Summit in May 2002. On 24 June 1994, Russia and the [[European Union]] (EU) signed a partnership and cooperation agreement. European Union imposed [[international sanctions during the Ukrainian crisis|sanctions on Russian businesses and individuals]] in 2014, regarding the [[annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|annexation of Crimea]] and alleged support for separatists during [[War in Donbas (2014–2022)|War in Donbas]].<ref>Helene Sjursen and Guri Rosén. "Arguing Sanctions. On the EU's Response to the Crisis in Ukraine." ''JCMS: Journal of Common Market Studies'' (Sept 2016). DOI: 10.1111/jcms.12443</ref>

Following the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]] in 2022, non NATO/EU countries felt threatened by Russia with EU candidate status being granted to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine and Moldova in 2022, EU negotiations speeding up for Albania and North Macedonia and Finland joining NATO in 2023 with Sweden joining in 2024.

=== Former Soviet Republics and Warsaw Pact ===
The non-Russian countries that were once part of the USSR have been termed the '[[near abroad]]' by Russians. More recently, Russian leaders have been referring to all 15 countries collectively as "Post-Soviet Space," while asserting Russian foreign policy interest throughout the region.<ref>See [[Vladimir Socor]], "[http://www.jamestown.org/programs/edm/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=27502&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=176&no_cache=1 Kremlin Refining Policy in 'Post-Soviet Space']," ''Eurasia Daily Monitor'' (7 February 2005).</ref> After the USSR was dissolved by the presidents of Russia, [[Ukraine]] and [[Belarus]], Russia tried to regain some sort of influence over the post-Soviet space by creating, on 8 December 1991, a [[regional organization]] – the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]]. The following years, Russia initiated a set of agreements with the [[Post-Soviet states]] which were designed to institutionalize the relations inside the CIS. However, most of these agreements were not fulfilled and the CIS republics began to drift away from Russia, which at that time was attempting to stabilize its broken economy and ties with the West.<ref>[http://www.ef.huji.ac.il/publications/Yakovlev%20Golani.pdf Two Decades of the Russian Federation's Foreign Policy in the Commonwealth of Independent States: The Cases of Belarus and Ukraine] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111120175204/http://www.ef.huji.ac.il/publications/Yakovlev%20Golani.pdf |date=20 November 2011}}, p. 17</ref>
[[File:Vladimir Putin in Ukraine April 2011-6.jpeg|thumb|210px|Vladimir Putin and the Ukrainian Prime Minister [[Mykola Azarov]], 12 April 2011]]

One of the major issues which had an influence on the foreign relations of Russia in FSU was the remaining large Russian minority populations in many countries of the near abroad. This issue has been dealt with in various ways by each individual country. They have posed a particular problem in countries where they live close to the Russian border, such as in [[Ukraine]] and [[Kazakhstan]], with some of these Russians calling for these areas to be absorbed into Russia. By and large, however, Russians in the near-abroad do not favor active intervention of Russia into the domestic affairs of neighboring countries, even in defense of the interests of ethnic Russians.<ref>Lowell W. Barrington, Erik S. Herron, and Brian D. Silver, "The Motherland Is Calling: Views of Homeland among Russians in the Near Abroad," ''World Politics'' 55, No. 2 (2003) : 290–313.</ref> Moreover, the three [[Baltic states]] ([[Estonia]], [[Latvia]], and [[Lithuania]]) have clearly signaled their desire to be outside any claimed Russian sphere of influence, as is reflected by their joining both the [[NATO]] alliance and the [[European Union]] in 2004.

Close cultural, ethnic and historical links exist between Russia, [[Belarus]] and Ukraine. The traditional Russian perspective is that they are one ethnic group, with Russians called 'Great Russians', [[Belarusians]] 'White Russians' and [[Ukrainians]] '[[Little Russia]]ns'. This manifested itself in lower levels of [[nationalism]] in these areas, particularly Belarus and Ukraine, during the disintegration of the Soviet Union. However, few Ukrainians accept a "younger brother" status relative to Russia{{Citation needed|date=August 2008}},<ref>{{Cite book|title=Russia Today: Atlas for Business and Political Decision Makers - Strategic Information and Developments|publisher=IBP, Inc.|year=2015|isbn=9781329856981|location=United States|pages=121}}</ref> and Russia's efforts to insert itself into Ukrainian domestic politics, such as Putin's endorsement of a candidate for the Ukrainian presidency in the last election, are contentious.

Russia maintains its military bases in [[Armenia]], [[Belarus]], [[Kyrgyzstan]], the [[Transnistria]] region of [[Moldova]], the occupied South Ossetia region of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] and [[Tajikistan]].

Russia's relationships with [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] are at their lowest point in modern history due to the [[2006 Georgian-Russian espionage controversy|Georgian-Russian espionage controversy]] and due to the [[Russo-Georgian War|2008 Russo-Georgian war]], Georgia broke off diplomatic relations with Russia and has left the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]].

Russia's relations with Ukraine, since 2013, are also at their lowest point in history as a result of the pro-Western [[Euromaidan|Euromaidan revolution]] in Ukraine, the [[Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|annexation of Crimea]] and the pro-Russian insurgency in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Ukraine withdrew from the Commonwealth of Independent States in 2018, with Moldova following in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Russia maintains diplomatic relations with most countries that were once part of the former [[Warsaw Pact]], and furthermore, [[Albania]]. Russia also continues to maintain friendly relations with [[Cuba]], [[Mongolia]] and [[Vietnam]] as well as third world and non-aligned countries of [[Afghanistan]], [[Angola]], [[Benin]], [[Cambodia]], [[Republic of the Congo|Congo]], [[Egypt]], [[Ethiopia]], [[Grenada]], [[Guinea-Bissau]], [[India]], [[Iraq]], [[Laos]], [[Mozambique]], [[Serbia]], [[Syria]] and the [[South Yemen|former Southern part]] of [[Yemen]].

=== International membership ===
{{main|Permanent Representatives of Russia to international organisations}}
{{further|Russia and the United Nations}}

Membership in International Organizations:<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/china/ Russia], CIA World Factbook</ref>

Russia holds a permanent seat, which grants it veto power, on the [[United Nations Security Council|Security Council of the United Nations]] (UN). Prior to 1991, the [[Soviet Union]] held Russia's UN seat, but, after the breakup of the Soviet Union the Russian government informed the United Nations that Russia will continue the Soviet Union's membership at the United Nations and all other UN organs.

Russia is an active member of numerous UN system organizations, including:
* [[UN General Assembly]] and Security Council
* [[Food and Agriculture Organization]]
* [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development]]
* [[UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization]]
* [[UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees]]
* [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization]]
* [[United Nations Economic Commission for Europe]]
Russia also participates in some of the most important UN peacekeeping missions, including:
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone]]
* [[United Nations Iraq–Kuwait Observation Mission]]
* [[United Nations Institute for Training and Research]]
* [[United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina]]
* [[United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire]]
* [[United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea]]
* [[United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka]]
* [[United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia]]
* [[United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor]]
* [[United Nations Truce Supervision Organization]]
* [[United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara]]
* [[United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo]]
}}
Russia also holds memberships in:

{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation]]
* [[Association of Caribbean States]] (observer)
* [[Bank for International Settlements]]
* [[Black Sea Economic Cooperation]]
* [[CERN|European Organization for Nuclear Research]] (observer, suspended as of March 2022<ref>{{cite web |url=https://home.cern/news/news/cern/cern-council-responds-russian-invasion-ukraine|title=CERN Council responds to Russian invasion of Ukraine |website=News |publisher=CERN |access-date=8 March 2022}}</ref>)
* [[Commonwealth of Independent States]]
* [[Collective Security Treaty Organisation]]
* [[Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council]]
* [[Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific]]
* [[Group of 20]]
* [[International Atomic Energy Agency]]
* [[International Civil Aviation Organization]]
* [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement]]
* [[International Development Association]]
* [[International Finance Corporation]]
* [[International Hydrographic Organization]]
* [[International Labour Organization]]
* [[International Monetary Fund]]
* [[International Maritime Organization]]
* [[International Mobile Satellite Organization]]
* [[International Criminal Police Organization]]
* [[International Olympic Committee]]
* [[International Organization for Migration]] (observer)
* [[International Organization for Standardization]]
* [[International Telecommunication Union]]
* [[Latin American Integration Association]] (observer)
* [[Non-Aligned Movement]] (observer)
* [[Nuclear Suppliers Group]]
* [[Organization of American States]] (observer)
* [[Organisation of Islamic Cooperation]] (observer)
* [[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]]
* [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]]
* [[Permanent Court of Arbitration]]
* [[Partnership for Peace]]
* [[Shanghai Cooperation Organisation]]
* [[World Tourism Organization]]
* [[Universal Postal Union]]
* [[World Customs Organization]]
* [[World Federation of Trade Unions]]
* [[World Health Organization]]
* [[World Intellectual Property Organization]]
* [[World Meteorological Organization]]
* [[World Trade Organization]]
* [[Zangger Committee]]
}}