Russian National Security Policy in 2000

Although signing a decree granting the new National Security Concept the status of law in January 2000 was one of acting president Vladimir V. Putin's first official decisions in the area of security policy, this development should not be misunderstood as tied solely to Putin's views or personal leadership. The new national security policy has been developing for at least a year, and is the result of debate and consensus across a substantial portion of the Russian national security elite. The policy is a very substantial change from the December 1997 National Security Concept, and is a significant shift from liberal elements in former President Yeltsin's political coalition. The reasons for the shift are partly internal, arising from Russia's own domestic political and economic developments after the August 1998 financial crisis, but they are also the result of NATO's war in Kosovo and other difficulties in Russia's relations with the US. In this memo, I explain the background to the new policy and the reason for the change in thinking, analyze the main elements of the new policy, and assess its implications for Russia's future security policies, defense priorities, and relations with the United States. […]

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