Between Conflict and Compromise: Turkey-Russia Relations and the West

Abstract

Relations between Turkey and Russia can be thought of as a pendulum swinging from conflict to compromise and back, depending on their colliding or overlapping interests on different issues. Historically, the two countries have been strategic partners in terms of their military, economic and political interests, especially after the Cold War, but never close allies. While current relations are stronger than ever, they have been transactional, compartmentalised and asymmetrically in favour of Russia, more highly personalised than institutionalised. Hence, relations have been assessed as ‘adversarial relationship and cooperation’, ‘cooperative or strategic rivalry’ and ‘competitive cooperation’.