The Role of Religion in Promoting the National Interests of the Russian Federation Abroad

The issue of the interaction of religious institutions and state foreign policy seems to be one of the most interesting and insufficiently studied aspects of modern international relations. When we talk about the “soft power” of the state, we usually mean cultural programs, educational exchanges, and media influence. However, the religious dimension of foreign policy deserves special attention, since it appeals to people’s deep values and is able to form stable ties that go far beyond pragmatic interests. Russia is a unique case in this regard. The country, which has experienced seven decades of official atheism, in the post-Soviet period not only returned to religious traditions, but also turned them into one of the tools of its international positioning. The Russian Orthodox Church, Islamic organizations, and Buddhist communities have all been involved to one degree or another in processes that can be described as religious diplomacy. The aim of this article is to analyze the mechanisms by which the religious factor is used to promote Russia’s national interests in the international arena.