THE MILITARY-SECURITY DIMENSION OF TURKISH-RUSSIAN RELATIONS IN THE POST-COLD WAR PERIOD
THE MILITARY-SECURITY DIMENSION OF TURKISH-RUSSIAN RELATIONS IN THE POST-COLD WAR PERIOD

Author(s): Ahmet Sapmaz
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Security and defense, Military policy, Cold-War History, Geopolitics
Published by: Transnational Press London
Keywords: military security; Turkey; Russia; cold war;
Summary/Abstract: The military security dimension of Turkish-Russian relations has been a problematic aspect of bilateral ties, characterized by historical tensions and periods of cooperation. Türkiye and Russia have sometimes cooperated in the face of common threats from the Western world. However, the military threat posed by Russia has played an important role in maintaining Westernization as a key aspect of Turkish foreign policy. After the Second World War, the Soviet Union compelled Türkiye to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a collective defence pact among Western countries. Following the end of the Cold War, Türkiye gained a military advantage, particularly in the Black Sea region. However, Russia’s foreign policy actions since 2008, which prioritize the use of military force, have had consequences affecting Türkiye’s military security. Especially after 2016, contrary to the historical perspective, Türkiye and Russia have been able to manage military security relations in close coordination with the opposite national interests in different regions.

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