Russian-Turkish Relations in the Wider Black Sea Region: Cooperation and Competition

Authors : Pavel SHLYKOV

Pages : 93-116

View : 13 | Download : 22

Publication Date : 2018-10-07

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :In the long historical perspective, Russian  and Turkish foreign policies have been  deeply affected by the shared neighborhood  of the wider Black Sea  region and the  Caucasus, where both countries possess  multifaceted security, political, economic  and cultural ties. This paper highlights  the complex nature of Russia-Turkey  cooperative and competitive relations  with a special focus on the wider Black Sea  region and the Caucasus since the 1990s.  It argues that while the general features of  cooperation between Ankara and Moscow  in the region are well known, competition  is equally strong. Given the fragile nature  of the strategic partnership between Russia  and Turkey, this cooperation-competition  nexus demands a more comprehensive and  multi-level approach to the ways in which  the two countries’ competitive interests in  the Black Sea region might be turned into  a well-grounded cooperation. 
Keywords : Russian Turkish Relations, Middle East, Black Sea Region, Caucasus, Regional Security, Energy Cooperation