Conclusion

Abstract

This book grew out of two major ideas. First, that power asymmetries in regional contexts lead to the formation of hierarchies and therefore to the emergence of regional powers. Second, that regional powers tend to develop policies of proximity in order to structure the environment around them in a favourable way. In the specific context of post-Cold War Eurasia, both processes of regional hierarchy formation and of projection of power towards neighbouring countries and communities have been actively contested. The debates surrounding the relevance of a regional hegemon for peace in Europe have taken many forms and recent developments support John Mearsheimer’s argument that Europe would be more prone to experience major crisis and war in the absence of a clear balance of military power between hegemons (Mearsheimer, 1990). Others underlined instead that institutionalism and norms, linked to domestic factors influencing the formation of preferences, could provide the necessary means to achieve peace and prosperity through cooperation (Hoffmann, Keohane and Mearsheimer, 1990; Russett, Risse-Kappen and Mearsheimer, 1990).