Key Features of the Development of Mongolia’s International Relations After the 1990 Democratic Revolution

The article shows the transformation and main vectors of Mongolia’s international relations during the first decade following the democratic revolution of 1990. The collapse of the bipolar system and a deep socioeconomic crisis compelled the country to fundamentally revise its foreign policy, abandoning a one-sided orientation toward the USSR in favor of multivector diplomacy and the “third neighbor” strategy. The article studies the process of shaping a new foreign policy doctrine aimed at diversifying partnerships and balancing relations among Russia, China, and the leading powers of the West and Asia. The study is based on Mongolia’s legal and regulatory acts, foreign trade statistics, and scholarly works by Mongolian and Russian researchers. The analysis identifies key challenges that had to be addressed to successfully implement the new course: overcoming the consequences of the geopolitical crisis and economic dependence; establishing a new legal framework for foreign policy; building relations with new partners (the United States, Japan, South Korea, and international organizations); and maintaining a balance of interests between Russia and China in order to safeguard sovereignty and national security.