scholarly journals Russian Policy in the Black Sea region: results and new challenges

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sergey S. Zhiltsov
Keyword(s):  
Black Sea ◽  
Radical Change ◽  
Economic Cooperation ◽  
Regional Security ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Interstate Relations ◽  
Black Sea Region ◽  
Western Countries ◽  
Security Issues

In the last decade, the geopolitical situation in the Black Sea region is changing rapidly.The Black Sea states become members of various organizations, and new pipeline projects arebeing implemented, which create a new framework for interstate relations. An active policy iscarried out by Western countries, which seek to establish themselves on the Black Sea as thedominant force. These processes occur against the background of domestic political changesin the countries of the region, which has a direct impact on bilateral relations both between theBlack Sea states and their level of cooperation with extraregional actors.Russia’s relations with a number of Black Sea states are emerging in a new way. In recent years,the nature of interstate relations with Ukraine has changed dramatically. Kiev set a coursefor the aggravation of bilateral Russian-Ukrainian relations by defiantly expanding its foreignpolicy towards the West. The Crimea’s joining Russia as well as issues related to the Crimean-Tatar population are constantly raised by the Ukrainian side. Kiev deliberately provokesaggravation of relations in the Black Sea by relying on political and informational support fromthe EU and the USA.Despite the difficult international conditions, Russia managed to build a balanced policy towardsTurkey. Energy cooperation, trade and economic cooperation and regional security issues areimportant components of the Russian policy towards Turkey. At the same time, the Russian sidemust take into account the discrepancy between the interests of the two countries in the BlackSea region, and Ankara’s desire to use relations with Kiev and other Black Sea states to promoteits long-term interests.The Russian foreign policy has achieved some success in maintaining the country’s position inthe Black Sea region. Russian interests are based on the military-political potential, as well aseconomic mechanisms. Russian policy is aimed at minimizing the negative effects of influencein the region of Western states, and expanding political and economic cooperation with the BlackSea countries. However, the Russian side has failed to achieve a radical change in the improvement of relations with Bulgaria, which is a member of the EU and NATO. There are difficulties in the political dialogue with Romania, as well. Domestic political events in those countries, and their desire to follow Western countries and plans to join NATO have a strong influence on relations with Georgia and Ukraine. Nevertheless, the positions formed by Russia allow us to count on the protection of its interests and the preservation of influence in the Black Sea region.

scholarly journals REGIONAL COOPERATION ON THE BLACK SEA: ACHIEVEMENTS, PROBLEMS, PROSPECTS

2013 ◽  
pp. 42-48
Author(s):  
E. D. Eshba
Keyword(s):  
Black Sea ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Regional Cooperation ◽  
Regional Security ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Black Sea Region ◽  
Black Sea Coast ◽  
World Economic ◽  
Transportation Routes

Throughout the history The Black Sea region attracted attention of both regional states and those lying far beyond its borders . One of the main reasons for increased attention to the Black Sea coast is its transit location : it is crossed by transport routes connecting the West with the states of Central Asia and Transcaucasia that are rich by hydrocarbon resources . A large-scale and fairly ambitious gas pipeline projects that are scheduled to take place on the territory of the Black Sea countries and across the Black Sea lead us to expect the increasing role of the Black Sea region in the world economic system. In this regard, the author brings to light the problem of the main stages of the development of cooperation among the Black Sea countries be means of analysis of the most successful attempts at regional cooperation. Special attention is paid to the policy of Turkey in the Black Sea and on the interactions of two major regional actors (Russia and Turkey) . In addition, the work highlights the most promising areas of transport, logistics , trade and economic development of the region , including the project of ring highway around the Black Sea, as well as prospects for the intensification of maritime transport and the development of new marine transportation routes. To summarize, the author concludes that , despite the development of cooperation in the region , there are problems in the formation of a comprehensive system of regional security and cooperation, so as major obstacles to the successful implementation of the plan of cooperation in the Black Sea region still remain .

CRIMEA AND THE BLACK SEA REGION IN THE POLITICAL PICTURE OF THE WORLD OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES OF UKRAINE EXPERTS (BASED ON ANALYTICAL REPORTS TO THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGES TO THE VERKHOVNA RADA)

2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 79-84
Author(s):  
OLEG V. Donetsk National University ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Soviet Union ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
Parallel Structure ◽  
Regional Security ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
The Political ◽  
Black Sea Region ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
The World ◽  
Strategic Studies

Basing on a constructivist approach to international relations and foreign policy, the author has defined the conceptual content of the script, in which the experts of the Ukrainian National Institute for Strategic Studies imagine Crimea and the Black Sea region. The study was carried out on the basis of the materials of the Institute's analytical reports to the messages of the President to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in 2014-2018. It was found that the ideas about Crimea contained in them are extremely mythologized: in the political picture of the world of the Institute's experts, the peninsula is considered as a “Russian bridgehead”, a source of “military threat" and an "occupied territory". Ukrainian experts are convinced that the motives of Russia's foreign and defense policy in the Black Sea direction are allegedly due to its desire for "expansion", "imperial policy" and the desire to "restore the Soviet Union." They perceive the reunification of Crimea with Russia as an event that led to a cardinal transformation of the geopolitical space of the Black Sea region that contradicts Ukrainian national interests. At the same time, on rational grounds, the institute is actively searching for conceptual approaches to organizing a new regional security system and creating a long-term, broad and durable alliance of anti-Russian forces, which could act as a NATO parallel structure in the Black Sea region in the future. Moreover, Ukrainian experts do not have any own geopolitical project or idea on this. They are considering several options for regional coalitions at once, paying special attention to the Polish concept of "Intermarium", which consists in creating a block of Baltic-Black Sea states.

scholarly journals Turkey - Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization: Foreign Trade Relations during the 1996-2012 Period

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cemal Ardıl
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Trade ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
Economic Cooperation ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Trade Volume ◽  
Black Sea Region ◽  
Economic Relations ◽  
Trade Relations ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Heads Of State

This paper presents the regional economic relations between Turkey and Black See Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC). The Heads of State and Government of eleven countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine signed the Summit Declaration and the Bosphorus Statement giving birth to the Black Sea Economic Cooperation on 25 June 1992, in Istanbul. On 5 June 1998, the Heads of State or Government signed the BSEC Charter, came into force on 1 May 1999 BSEC has evolved into an international regional organization for economic cooperation. The organization has 12 members since Serbia joining the organization in 2004. It came into existence as a unique and promising model of multilateral political and economic initiative aimed at fostering interaction and harmony among the Member States, as well as to ensure peace, stability and prosperity encouraging friendly and good-neighbourly relations in the Black Sea region. Countries bordering the Black Sea, Balkan and Caucasus formed the BSEC countries cover an area of approximately 20 million square kilometer and represent more than 350 million people. The region with the foreign trade volume of U.S. $ 300 billion per year draws attention to the rich natural resources; and is the main European energy and transport corridor transfer. The Black Sea region is a contested neighbourhood and the subject of intense debates and conflicts in the globe. Also, this reflects the changing dynamics of the Black Sea region, its complex realities, the interests of outsiders and the region’s relations with the rest of the globe. Moreover, its strategic position, linking north to south and east to west, as well as its oil, gas, transport and trade routes are all important reasons for its increasing relevance. Turkey's foreign trade volume with BSEC member countries is steadily increasing as per the findings over the period of 1996-2012.

scholarly journals Protecting the environment as an international process: Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)

2021 ◽  
Vol 258 ◽  
pp. 05025
Author(s):  
Çora Hakan ◽  
Mikail Elnur Hasan ◽  
Gül Sevda
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Economic ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Economic Cooperation ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Social Cooperation ◽  
Strategic Action ◽  
Black Sea Region ◽  
Heads Of State

At In this paper, it was attempted to examine and analyze the environmental and sociological impact of Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC) that was established in June 1992 in Istanbul. Members of the organization are Albania, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Greece. The researchers and scholars should keep in mind that The Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (the Black Sea Commission or BSC), through its Permanent Secretariat, is the intergovernmental association founded in execution of the Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (Bucharest Convention), its Protocols and the Strategic Action Plan for the Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation of the Black Sea. Therefore, through BSEC, in the Summit Declaration signed with the participation of the Heads of State and Government of 11 member countries, the Black Sea region is envisaged to be a zone of peace, stability, and welfare. The mechanism chosen to achieve this goal is environmental, economic and social cooperation.

scholarly journals Romanian naval dimplomacy, continuous evolution in the swirl of external diplomacy

2022 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Ioan Gabriel Moise ◽  
Edith-Hilde Kaiter
Keyword(s):  
Black Sea ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Regional Security ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Special Role ◽  
Black Sea Region ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The World ◽  
The Military ◽  
The Eu

From ancient times the dominion of the seas has been a condition for gaining power and influence, and the position of a state near a sea has been an advantage for both its development and the neighboring region.           Due to its geographical position, the Black Sea is a region of great importance for all actors claiming leading positions in the world hierarchy and the intensification of economic relations between the states of the region after the end of the Soviet monopoly and its connection to the world market generated auspices for a new cycle development and regional prosperity.         The relocation of the EU border to the Black Sea, along with the integration of Romania and Bulgaria, brings in many economic benefits, given its dependence on oil imports, but its expansion, like that of NATO, does not only mean benefits. The EU and NATO must also take on vulnerabilities in the area, such as underperforming economies, arms, drug and human trafficking, illegal immigration or frozen conflicts, and thus try to help stabilize the region. In recent years, the military has not only played a destabilizing role, but has made a decisive contribution to ensuring the security of the Black Sea region. In this sense, the military naval forces of the riparian countries, including Romania, had a special role. Through the wide range of missions in which the Romanian Naval Forces participate in the Danubian-Pontic space, both internally and externally, in cooperation with the states bordering the Black Sea and with the NATO member states, Romania contributes to the promotion of regional security and stability. The naval diplomacy actions carried out in the last thirty years thus reveal not only the role and purpose of the Romanian Naval Forces within NATO in the actions of maintaining and consolidating good relations with the states bordering the Black Sea, as well as maintaining security with allies in the distant maritime districts. They also point out that naval diplomacy has contributed to the expression of foreign policy in different areas and with means that have increased its effect, impact and efficiency.  

Turkey and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation: Opportunities and Challenges

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-70
Author(s):  
Yusuf Ibrahim Gamawa
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Cooperation ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
Black Sea Region

This paper aims to analyse Turkey’s relationship with other states in the Black Sea region, and takes a look at reasons behind the formation of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation that was spearheaded by Turkey. The paper also highlights the importance of the region and the struggle by outside powers for influence in the region. These powers include Russia and the United states, alongside Turkey.

scholarly journals Stability, Ambiguity and Change in the Discourses of NATO allies in the Black Sea region: The Cases of Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (80) ◽  
pp. 187-209
Author(s):  
Valentin Naumescu
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Regional Security ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
The Political ◽  
Black Sea Region ◽  
Political Discourses ◽  
Eastern Flank ◽  
The Crimea

AbstractShortly after the Crimea crisis of March 2014, NATO started a process of strategic reflection and a series of actions under the umbrella of the ‘Pivot to East’. On the South of its Eastern flank, the Black Sea region looms as one of the most unstable areas, with a number of frozen conflicts in non-NATO countries as well as an increasing unrest overall. This article explores the political discourses, commitments and attitudes towards NATO of the three allies at the Black Sea, namely Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey, as well as exploring their role in regional security. The purpose of the research is to compare NATO’s representation in the mainstream politics of these countries. Based on discourse analysis and the comparative method, the paper examines to what extent stability, ambiguity and change are present in the Southeast allies’ discourses on NATO.

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