Book excerpt: First published in 1999, this book analyses the national interests of Russia as thy are indicated by the current policies of the Russian government and formulated in public and not so public discussions in high echelons of government. The author not only sums up and critically reviews those interests in general, but gives detailed analysis of specific interests of Russia in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. A large chapter is devoted to the review of converging and diverging interests of the USA and Russia. The main value of the book is in its philosophical aspect. An outstanding Russian foreign policy expert, who for 20 years participated in inner debates on a high level on issues of Soviet foreign policy and was considered by US politicians and scholars to be one of the top experts in Moscow on the US foreign policy and military strategy, muses over the fate of Russia and its current foreign policy (and domestic) predicaments.