Abstract:
International Relations has been preoccupied with the
paradigmatic clashes between different theorists who
rarely accommodate the role of beliefs, personalities,
emotions, perceptions and decision-making processes of
individual political leaders. Yet the history of
international politics includes many leaders who have left
a profound mark on its course, and many explanations of
historically consequential events point towards the
significant role of individual political leaders. The focus
of this study is to understand the influence of leaders in
foreign policy decision-making and the subsequent
impact of the choices that they make at the international
level. Towards this end, this article takes the case of
Russian President Vladimir Putin and tries to assess the
extent to which Russian foreign policy is a product of his
inspiration and studies the impact of his policies
internationally.
