Foreign policy of Vladimir Putin

This article is part of a series about Vladimir Putin
Political offices President of Russia (2000–2008; 2012–present) Prime Minister of Russia (1999–2000; 2008–2012) Policies Domestic policy legislation and programs military reform constitutional reform national champions priority projects stabilization fund Foreign policy 2014 annexation of Crimea 2014 war in Donbas 2015 intervention in Syria 2022 invasion of Ukraine 2022 annexation of four Ukrainian regions Putin's Plan Elections Electoral history 2000 campaign 2004 campaign 2012 campaign 2018 campaign PutinTeam 2024 campaign Premiership First Cabinet Second Cabinet Presidency Inaugurations 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th International trips President Prime Minister Political groups Opposition Speeches Munich 2007 Crimea 2014 Valdai 2014 Federal Assembly 2020 Donetsk and Luhansk 2022 Ukraine 2022 Moscow 2022 Summits Ljubljana Bratislava Helsinki Geneva Political career Public image Putinism Language Opinions Pets Honours
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The foreign policy of Vladimir Putin concerns the policies of the Russian Federation's president Vladimir Putin with respect to other nations. He has held the office of the President previously from 2000 to 2008, and reassumed power again in 2012 and has been President since.

As of late 2013, Russia–United States relations were at a low point.^[1] The United States canceled a summit for the first time since 1960, after Putin gave asylum to Edward Snowden. Washington regarded Russia as obstructionist regarding Syria, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela. In turn, those nations look to Russia for support against the United States.^[1] Some nations of Western Europe purchase Russian gas, but are concerned about interference in the affairs of Eastern Europe. Expansion of NATO and the EU into Eastern Europe much conflicts with Russian interests, which has pushed them to become more aggressive to attempt to influence and "Russianise" Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.

Beyond Russia's neighbours in foreign relations is India, who at one point, was a close ally of Russia and the Soviet Union, is now drifting towards the United States with stronger nuclear and commercial ties. Japan and Russia remain at odds over the ownership of the Kuril Islands; this dispute has hindered much cooperation for numerous decades, originating back from the Soviet Union's annexation of them at the end of World War Two.^[1] China has recently moved to become a close ally of Russia despite its falling out with the former Soviet Union.^[1]

In 2014, with NATO's decision to suspend practical co-operation with Russia and all major Western countries' decision to impose a host of sanctions against Russia, in response to the Russian military intervention in Ukraine, Russia's relationship with the West came to be characterised as assuming an adversarial nature, or the advent of Cold War II.^[2][3][4]