Turkey and Russia: Historical patterns and contemporary trendsin bilateral relations

Abstract

Turkish-Russian relations have had a tumultuous history characterized by periods of tensions and conflicts but also intense cooperation. This chapter uses a theoretically guided narrative of Turkish-Russian relations to trace how different factors have combined to yield particular foreign policies and changing patterns of bilateral relations. It argues that despite periods of intense cooperation between the two countries, bilateral relations lack institutionalization and an ability to develop a stable and common perspective on regional and global matters. Consequently, the fate of bilateral relations depends on short-term definitions of the national interest and forces the two countries into a fragile cooperation vulnerable to sudden domestic and geopolitical shifts.