Ustundag, S. Economic Relations Between Russia and Turkey at the Turn of the 20th and the 21st Centuries

Abstract: The subject under research is the economic relations between Turkey and Russia at the turn of the 20th and the 21st centuries. The author focuses on mutual energy projects and underlines that the main sphere of economic cooperation between these two states is gas even though tourist contacts are also well established because Turkey is one of the most popular holiday resorts for Russian tourists. Special attention is paid to the visit of the president of Russia Vladimir Putin to Ankara and the bilateral documents signed as a result of his visit. According to the author, these documents designate the beginning of a new stage in the bilateral relationship between Russia and Turkey and promise the improvement and further development of an effective cooperation between the countries. The main research methodology of the article is the analysis (the author carries out an integrated analysis of the Russian and Turkish economic relations), comparative studies (comparison of the positions of Turkey and Russia within the framework of their economic contacts) and the principle of historicism (the author traces back the appearance and development of the analyzed phenomena taking into account the current historical situation as well as analyzes prerequisites of the current conditions for cooperation). At the present day economic relations between Turkey and Russia are understudied scientifi cally. The author underlines that the economic sphere is the main aspect of relations between Russia and Turkey, analyzes the legal platform such this cooperation and provides an insight into the mutual projects of these two countries. It is underlined that at the beginning of the 19th century Russia and Turkey fi nally refused from competition for the benefi t of a mutually profi table partnership but despite the intense development of their economic relations, these two countries have reserved some kind of a confl ict potential between them. However, these diffi culties will not have a great infl uence on their relations and common interests will lead Russia and Turkey to integration.

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