Peace and Peacekeeping - A Russian Perspective : An ideational approach to the Russian perception of peace

Abstract: The role of the United Nations in international peace and peacekeeping has traditionally been supported by the Russian Federation, promoting the UN as a central actor in international politics and using force in the establishment of peace in Russian peacekeeping operations. However, blocking several military interventions and UN resolutions on peacekeeping and criticising the use of the UN as a political tool for western states, the Russian perception of peace in the UN remains uncharted. In an attempt to provide new knowledge to the Russian perception of peace, this thesis investigates Russian ideas of peace expressed in national policy documents and UN Security Council statements between 2019 and 2020, concerning the establishment of peace in international conflicts. Using an ideational analysis, Russian ideas of peace are interpreted according to the theoretical framework of situational and relational peace, developed by Jarstad et al. (2019), examining peace as situational security and political order, and as a relational behaviour, attitudes and ideas. The analysis reveals that Russian ideas can be interpreted as characterised by both situational and relational peace, promoting peace and peacekeeping based on international law, establishing security and stability through peaceful means of conflict management rather than promoting forceful military means. Further, ideas of peacekeeping are interpreted as promoting a return to status quo, and state responsibility.