The course aims to enable students to analyse and understand the different geopolitical dynamics that characterized the relations between Russia Federation, Europe and post-soviet States after the end of the Cold War. To this purpose the main causes that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union will be investigated as well as the political, social and economic consequences of the disintegration on the former republics of the USSR engaged in complex transition processes in order to build a real sovereign state. Particular attention will be devoted to the study of the development of the relations of these new actors, and in particular of the Russian Federation, with European countries in order to understand the way in which the great transformations that took place in the post-Soviet area have affected the international system more in general.