Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Major/Program
International Relations
First Advisor's Name
Mohiaddin Mesbahi
First Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Chair
Second Advisor's Name
Thomas A. Breslin
Second Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Member
Third Advisor's Name
Ronald W. Cox
Third Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Member
Fourth Advisor's Name
Benjamin Smith
Fourth Advisor's Committee Title
Committee Member
Keywords
Turkey-Russia Relations, Russian Foreign Policy, Turkish Foreign Policy, Decision Making, Middle Eastern Politics, Post-Soviet Politics
Date of Defense
2-10-2021
Abstract
This dissertation explains the evolution of Turkey-Russia relations in 2001 2020. Turkey and Russia are two of the most critical powerhouses of Central Eurasia. In the past, the Russian Empire played a significant role in the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, and Turkey took part in containing the USSR during the Cold War. In 2001 2020, however, Turkey and Russia invested in bilateral trade and established partnerships in the defense and energy sectors. Two countries also worked together to resolve several regional conflicts, including the Syrian Crisis. Despite this trend’s regional and global significance, the literature suffers from an inadequacy of extensive research on Turkey-Russia relations. Thus, an insightful explanation of their bilateral relations will contribute to understanding the most recent dynamics in the Turkey-Russia nexus and the political dynamics in multiple regions. This research addresses the following question: How did Turkey and Russia’s cooperation prevail over the competition between them in 2001-2020?
To address this question, I consider that the Turkey Russia nexus is a formation created by two ‘composite’ states. They interact with one another at strategic, normative, and economic dimensions in the context of turbulent regional and global political dynamics. I argue that the Western influence in the region was a defining phenomenon over the way Turkey-Russia relations took their form. In 2001-2020, the weakening of the US-led Western hegemonic power in Central Eurasia and the assertive foreign policy strategies of Turkey and Russia caused the Turkey-Russia nexus to develop outside of (and often in opposition to) the Western hegemonic influence.
Identifier
FIDC009552
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6448-9250
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Koçak, Muhammet, "Turkey-Russia Relations in 2001-2020: Deepening Partnership and Heightening Competition Amid Regional Restructuring" (2021). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 4702.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/4702
Included in
International Relations Commons, Near and Middle Eastern Studies Commons, Political Economy Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons, Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies Commons
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