What is Russia's primary national strategy under Putin?

• A. To reassert itself as a global great power and challenge U.S. influence.
• B. To align with European Union leadership
• C. To reduce military influence
• D. To pursue regional dominance only

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is Russia’s overarching aim to restore status as a global great power and push back against U.S. influence. Under Putin, Moscow has pursued a path of reasserting strategic influence beyond its near abroad, using a mix of military modernization, energy leverage, and assertive diplomacy to shape international norms and counter Western dominance. This includes actions in Georgia, Ukraine, and Syria, as well as building partnerships with non-Western powers to hedge against Western pressure.

Aligning with European Union leadership would imply closer integration with Western institutions and standards, which Russia has consistently resisted as it seeks to maintain strategic autonomy and counterbalance Western power. Reducing military influence runs opposite to the observed pattern of substantial defense investment and active use of force to sanction Russia’s interests. Pursuing regional dominance only would undersell Moscow’s broader objective of restoring great-power influence on a global stage, not just within a single region.

So the description that best fits the direction of Russia’s strategy under Putin is to reassert itself as a global great power and challenge U.S. influence.