Russia–Turkey Relations in the Russian Turn to the East

Contemporary Russia–Turkey relations demonstrate a complex combination of traditional economic, trade and energy cooperation and multiplex interaction to address foreign policy challenges in the regions that have strategic importance for both players: the Middle East, the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and the Black Sea. All the above makes Turkey a significant variable in Russia’s turn-to-the-East policy, not only in terms of energy cooperation, but also in strategic military matters. The chapter traces the rising complexity of Russia’s relations with Turkey since the 1990s until the present day.