Turkey and Russia : partnership by exclusion ?

Despite a long history of tension and conflict of interests economic and political relations
between Turkey and Russia have deepened significantly. This article provides a comprehensive account of the bilateral relationship and argues that the convergence between Russia and Turkey is the result of the two states’ shared defensiveness vis-à-vis the shaping of a new Europe that appears to exclude them and shared apprehension with U.S. policies. The most influential factor in determining the future nature of Turkish-Russian relations is their respective relationships with the West.