This thesis studies how NATO has changed the way it brands itself to Russia, from a cooperative and humanitarian stance in 2002 toward a critical and confrontational posture between 2006 and 2008. The study is based on a discourse analysis of NATO’s publications. In the political climate following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, NATO’s NRC established a cooperative relationship with the new Russian Federation, which included offers of humanitarian aid in food and medical care. This study shows that under the NRC, from 2002 to 2006, NATO’s image toward Russia continued to be one of “Strategic Partner.” Between 2006 and 2008, the image NATO portrayed toward Russia reverted to confrontational. The analysis of NATO’s change can be understood by considering the definition of brand image: a symbolic construct created within the minds of people and consists of all information and expectations associated with a product or service.

The subject of the dissertation thesis focuses on relations between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Russia in their post-9/11/2001 phase. The theoretical framework is provided by the realist school of thought with a special focus on the "defensive" strand of that school. The thesis has two main goals: the primary goal tests a validity of a statement "Confrontational aspects of the NATO -- Russia relations prohibit any significant mutually beneficial cooperation between the NATO and Russia", the secondary goal aims to create a robust body of primary-source information (with 31 December 2007 deadline). Confrontational aspects of the NATO -- Russia relations have been analyzed in the basic conceptual documents of both Russia and the NATO with following conclusions: (1.) Russia does not accept certain characteristics of NATO, (2.) NATO is not prepared to change these characteristics to meet Russia's objections. But as shown in the thesis, these conclusions do not prevent either side to state a conceptual preparedness to an interest-based cooperation. The other important aspect -- conventional and nuclear weapons balance -- has been analyzed in depth from both the static and dynamic point of view. The positive impetus generated through a rhetorical action immediately after the 11 September 2001 resulted in the creation of the NATO -- Russia Council (NRC). In comparison to the previous phase of the NATO -- Russia relations, the NRC comprises both evolution (prioritization of the content) and revolution (rejection of the previous form). But the positive impetus seems to be failing to generate concrete joint political or practical cooperative actions. Nevertheless, examples can be found of mutually beneficial cooperation between the NATO and Russia: operation Active Endeavor, search and rescue at the sea, project for fight against Afghan drugs, Cooperative Airspace Initiative. These examples do falsify the statement as defined under the primary goal of the thesis. As for a possible future development of the NATO -- Russia relations, the thesis concludes: (1.) No further upgrade of form is to be expected over a longer term, (2.) NRC is and will be and an import forum for a political dialogue, (3.) Mutually-beneficial cooperation will probably materialize through smaller-scale projects, (4.) Freezing of relations cannot be excluded, when an important political signal is to be sent, (5.) In spite of the Russia's denouncement of new military installation in Europe the fact is that the European perimeter is and will be for Russia far more secure and predictable than her Southern and South-Easter perimeter.

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Untersuchung der institutionalisierten Beziehungen zwischen der NATO und Russland seit 1997 und konzentriert sich dabei besonders auf die Ergebnisse des „Permanent Council“ (PJC, 1997) und des „NATO-Russia Council“ (NRC, 2002). Das Vermächtnis von Strukturen, die während des kalten Krieges entstanden, beeinflusst weiterhin die Interaktionen zwischen der NATO und Russland. Dies wurde insbesondere während der Kosovo-Krise und nach dem 11. September 2001, welcher die „post-post-Cold War era“ einläutete, sichtbar. Das zentrale Kapitel der Dissertation beinhaltet eine empirische Analyse der Policy-Felder, denen sich der PJC und der NRC widmen. Hier wird vor allem auf die Zusammenarbeit von der NATO und Russland auf dem Balkan und auf den Kampf gegen den Terrorismus eingegangen. Die Fallstudie untersucht NATO-Russland Interaktionen in Zentralasien; besonders im Hinblick auf geopolitische Trends, die für beide Akteure und ihre zukünftigen Beziehungen wichtige Auswirkungen haben werden. Diese Arbeit untersucht die Qualität der Beziehungen zwischen der NATO und Russland anhand von Ereignissen, welche diese Beziehungen geprägt haben und erklärt, warum manche Verhaltensmuster sich kontinuierlich wiederholen. / This dissertation examines the institutionalized relationship between NATO and Russia since 1997; focussing on the outcomes of the 1997 Permanent Joint Council (PJC) and the 2002 NATO-Russia Council (NRC). The legacy of Cold War structures has continued to influence the way NATO and Russia interact; most notably during the Kosovo crisis and in the aftermath of the attacks of September 11 that rang in the “post-post-Cold War era”. The bulk of the research consists of an empirical analysis of policy fields covered by the PJC and the NRC. Particular attention is given to NATO-Russia interaction in the Balkans, as well as to the fight against terrorism. The case study assesses NATO-Russia interaction in Central Asia, taking into consideration geopolitical trends that will shape both actors’ actions in the future. Tracing events that have shaped NATO-Russia relations, this dissertation analyzes the quality of NATO-Russia relations and explains why certain patterns keep reoccurring.