The collapse of the Soviet Union had the additional effect of demolishing the international political order of the past half-century, with consequences for all sides. International actors no less than leaders in the region had to reorient themselves to a new world, knowing that their actions might impact the developing situation in unexpected ways. This concluding volume of the "International Politics of Eurasia" series takes on the challenge of specifying the forces at work in the international environment of Russia and the New Independent States and gauging the impact of external actors on developments in this region. Among the topics covered are foreign and security policies; relationships with East Asian, Near Eastern and Western states; and the impact of international economic and financial institutions, development assistance and advisory programmes of various kinds and aid organizations.