A New Ideology in Russian Foreign Policy Nationalist Eurasianism

Throughout history, Russian geography has played a considerable role in shaping the Russian people and identity. It can be said that the geopolitics of the Russian land, which is squeezed into the north, both isolated the Russians and connoted the idea that they are different. In this context, it is assumed that the development and content of the idea of Eurasianism are actually based on this understanding of difference. In addition to the idea of Eurasianism, the strengthening of nationalism in the country and its reflections in the domestic and foreign policy are important. When the Russian perception of being different from Europe and the West is added to this situation, a new approach emerges. In this context, the idea of Nationalist Eurasianism that I will try to put forward within the scope of this study is the formation of these two intellectual developments. Indeed, it is not surprising that its nature, which can be articulated with nationalism, is involved in Eurasianism. Based on the belongingness the idea of Eurasianism also defines an identity. Nationalist Eurasianism, however, is mostly a product of Putin-led Russia in terms of the resources it feeds. In this context, Nationalist Eurasianism is an important fact that became visible in domestic politics and foreign policy as a new ideological approach of Putin-led Russia. Finally, this article is intended to explain Nationalist Eurasianism in Putin-led Russia by laying the common groundwork of nationalism and Eurasianism.