Russian-Latin American Strategic Partnerships in New Geopolitical Context

Abstract

The object of this study is contemporary Russian-Latin American relations. The influence of the current international context related to the crisis around Ukraine on Russia's strategic partnerships (SP) with a number of Latin American states is considered in detail. The first part reveals the specifics of this relationship format. The second part analyzes the dynamics of the dialogue with Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Peru and Ecuador, depending on the depth of the impact on them of the confrontation between Russia and the West after the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine. In conclusion, the work highlights similarities and differences in the lines of conduct of Russia's Latin American strategic partners in today's conflicting international political conditions. This study is one of the first attempts to comprehend the effects of the Ukrainian crisis on the state and possible future of strategic partnerships between Russia and nations of the LAC region. A new look at the issue, involving systematic approach and case study method, which allows analyzing and including each national example of bilateral strategic partnership in the broader context of the dialogue between the Russian Federation and Latin America, determines the author's contribution. Main conclusions are as follows. First, although the reaction of Russia's strategic partners to the Ukrainian crisis and its global consequences varies, their common desire to maintain the momentum of mutually beneficial cooperation with Russia is noticeable. Secondly, within strategic partnerships, one can single out a material and symbolic components, and it is on the second that the complication of the international context has hit the hardest. Finally, the current situation clearly requires Russia to revise its Latin American strategy, the first step of which could just be a rethinking of the SP format.