本文目的在於探討普丁時期（2000-2012年）的俄喬關係發展。當面對內外環境的轉變，俄羅斯如何因應並調整對喬治亞的外交政策，以鞏固自身國家利益及國際地位？普丁主政的不同時期，俄羅斯與喬治亞兩國關係發展的過程與影響因素為何？經由文獻回顧，研究結果顯示俄喬關係發展在普丁時期每況愈下，影響兩國關係發展的主要因素為：喬治亞政權替換之影響、喬治亞欲加入北約的衝擊、薩卡希維利執政下的喬美合作、五日戰爭對俄喬關係之影響。 本文認為即便俄羅斯利用能源、經濟手段施加對喬治亞的影響力，然而俄羅斯未能解決喬治亞內部的民族分裂問題，因此導致喬治亞政府日益親向西方。雖然俄羅斯與喬治亞在外交關係交惡，相關研究數據仍然顯示喬治亞居民認為發展俄喬之間的經濟、政治關係相當重要。

2008年的俄喬戰爭是俄羅斯自解體以來第一次境外用兵，本文試圖透過守勢現實主義 ( defensive realism ) 的角度來解釋這一場俄羅斯的對外衝突。守勢現實主義國家的行為模式包括維持守勢現狀、對外尋求合作，因此得以處理安全困境難題，而在威脅等級過高時可能採取預防性戰爭來消除威脅。本文藉由守勢現實主義的觀點與行為模式來解釋俄羅斯的外交行為，透過檢視俄羅斯自解體以來的國家行為模式確立俄羅斯為守勢現實主義國家。再者藉由探討俄喬衝突中分離主義問題與俄喬關係中的矛盾以說明衝突的遠因與近因。最後探討俄羅斯在外高加索地區的利益與衝突以解釋俄羅斯在俄喬戰爭中的出兵動機。俄羅斯在解體之後的外交政策大多採取不衝突與合作的策略，隨著喬治亞的政權更替，俄羅斯對喬治亞的關係從合作走向以政策制衡，最後基於俄羅斯南部的地緣安全與北約東擴等等來自西方的威脅之下，俄羅斯採取了協助喬治亞分離地區的軍事行動來解決自身威脅。本論文認為俄羅斯不僅在2008年前屬於守勢現實主義國家，以守勢現實主義的觀點來看，俄喬戰爭更是一場為了應對歐美威脅的防禦性戰爭。 / The 2008 Russo – Georgian war was the first military action outside borders since the collapse of USSR. In this thesis, I describe the conflict using the perspective of Defensive Realism. The behavior of a state using a defensive realism perspective includes remain status-quo of defensive, seeking cooperation, therefore are able to manage the security dilemma. When the threat level is too high, a state using a defensive realism perspective may launch a preventive war to eliminate the threat. First, by examining Russia’s state behavior between 1992 to 2008. We are able to determine that Russia follows defensive realism behavior. Secondly, by studying the separatism of South Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia and the change of relationship between Russia and Georgia, we are able to elucidate the factors that caused the Russo-Georgian war. Finally, we explore Russia’s interests and threats in South Caucasus area that reveal the motivation for Russia the launch the counter strike against Georgia. Russia has tended to take the non-conflict route and cooperative strategy in diplomacy after Soviet-era ended. Due to the regime change in Georgia, Russia changed its policy toward Georgia from cooperative to containment. Finally, as the threat from the West rose and another round of NATO enlargement occurred, while it’s threating the geopolitical security of the southern border, Russia decided to launch a preventive war to assist the separatist states within Georgia. In conclusion, not only Russia is a defensive realism state, from the perspective of defensive realism, the 2008 Russo-Georgia war is a preventive war against the threat of the West.