The Soviet Union's collapse brought to surface a complex ethno-political situation in the
territory it formerly spanned. Changes in interstate boundaries separated various ethnic
populations from their perceived homelands. This post-Soviet landscape has created
policy dilemmas for the Russian government, as some 25 million Russians found
themselves living outside the borders of the Russian Federation. How Russian leaders
have dealt with issues pertaining to its 'compatriots' in the non-Russian Soviet successor
states has become a subject of interest to Western observers. In particular, Western
analysts have been observing the expression of ‘ethnic diaspora’ issues in Russian foreign
policy.
This study examines the extent to which Russian foreign policy concerns on the
rights of ‘compatriots,’ particularly in terms of language status, can be used as a political
tool to gain leverage in the ‘Near Abroad,’ especially in the western post-Soviet space.
The western post-Soviet space, in this paper, refers to the Baltic states,2
as well as two
members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Ukraine and Moldova.3
These states represent a region where East-West competition for regional influence
clashes. Russian foreign policy goals on the language debate can thus serve as a partial
indicator of how Russia attempts to cope with international challenges to its perceived
'sphere of influence.'