How far were objectives in foreign policy achieved?

The idea

Evaluating how far foreign policy objectives were achieved requires analysing Russia’s strategic aims between 1682 and 1796, primarily securing warm-water ports, expanding borders, and gaining recognition as a European power. Peter the Great achieved his Baltic objectives through the Great Northern War, securing a 'window to the West' with St Petersburg, though his southern ambitions faltered at the Pruth. Catherine the Great dramatically advanced these objectives by securing access to the Black Sea and the Crimea through the Russo-Turkish Wars. Furthermore, her participation in the partitions of Poland successfully expanded Russia's western frontiers, establishing the empire as a dominant European force.

What earns the marks

• Identify the primary foreign policy objectives of the Russian state, including territorial expansion, securing warm-water ports, and European recognition.
• Evaluate Peter the Great's achievements in the Baltic region against his setbacks against the Ottoman Empire.
• Assess the extent of Catherine the Great's success in expanding into the south (Crimea and Black Sea) and the west (Poland).
• Weigh the financial and human costs of these foreign policy achievements against the strategic benefits gained by the Russian Empire.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Claiming Peter the Great successfully secured a permanent foothold on the Black Sea.

  Put it right: Clarify that while Peter captured Azov initially, he lost it following the Pruth campaign; it was Catherine who secured the Black Sea.

• Treating Russian foreign policy as a continuous, unbroken string of military successes.

  Put it right: Acknowledge setbacks and lost opportunities, such as the failure to secure gains from the major successes of the Seven Years' War due to Peter III's sudden withdrawal, rather than military failure under Elizabeth.

• Discussing foreign policy in isolation from domestic impacts.

  Put it right: Link the achievement of foreign policy objectives to the heavy taxation and conscription burdens placed on the Russian peasantry.

Exam tips

• Structure your evaluation chronologically or thematically (e.g., by geographical region like the Baltic vs. the Black Sea) to clearly track the achievement of objectives.
• Distinguish between short-term tactical victories and long-term strategic achievements when assessing how far objectives were met.
• Explicitly define what the 'objectives' were for each monarch before judging whether they were achieved.