How influential is the black sea in russo-turkish relations?

Abstract

Over recent years, the Republic of Turkey has increasingly resorted to the use of force in the pursuit of its national interest regarding international affairs. Accordingly, Ankara’s interaction with the Russian Federation in several strategic scenarios has been noticeable as both countries have grown closer and closer. Given Turkey’s rule as a member of the NorthAtlantic Treaty Organization however, deeper Russo-Turkish ties have been a topic of great concern for European and North American leaders. Simultaneously, the Black Sea - where Turkey and Russia meet - has been a scenario of increasing militarization efforts despite the relatively short attention it has received, eversince the Russian annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014. This dissertation aims to not only understand what is at stake at the Black Sea in geopolitical and geostrategic fashion, but also clarify how the Russo-Turkish relationship has got to its current state. Accordingly, the research question present in the title aims to to understand the relation between the dynamics of the Black Sea and ties between Moscow and Ankara. Essentially, an argument is made that the Black Sea region represents a fundamental key in understanding the relationship at hand as the the Sea’s strategic value has a deep effect in the geopolitical mindset of both countries.

Date of Award	8 Nov 2021
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Francisco Proença Garcia (Supervisor)