Building A Nuclear Empire Nuclear Energy As A Russian Foreign Policy Tool In The Case Of Turkey

This book examines the dynamics of Russian foreign policy between 2000-2019 by specifically focusing on the civilian aspect of nuclear energy and how it shapes Russia’s relations with Turkey. It aims to clarify the role and the importance of nuclear energy as a foreign policy tool, specifically in the case of Turkey. To this end, Russian nuclear energy policy is scrutinized in detail. This book reveals that the marketing and trading of nuclear power plants (NPPs) for civilian purposes not only provides surpluses for Russian economy but also increases the influence and power of Russia over those places where nuclear reactors are sold or other nuclear goods and services are supplied. Specifically, it examines the extent of the influence of the exportation of NPPs on the Russian foreign policy dynamics in Turkey. In this context, first a brief historical background information on Russian nuclear power status as well as the utilization of nuclear energy as a foreign policy tool during Putin’s presidency is given. This is followed by the Russia’s nuclear energy policies towards Turkey and the effects of this policy on the Russian foreign policy dynamics in Turkey. The book concludes that the Akkuyu NPP project will result in Moscow’s domination in the foreign policy dynamics between Turkey and Russia. As a result of such dominance Turkey will become much less sovereign in its foreign policy options and will feel the pressure coming from Moscow about the possible consequences of its actions which will not please Russia. The primary methodological tool of the work was qualitative analysis utilizing primary and secondary sources in Russian, English and Turkish on the topic, including academic books, articles, newspapers, magazines and relevant official websites.

The book details events in Russia over the two years before Putin launched his war against Ukraine, provides reasons why he did so and suggests potential consequences of that war. Russia's presidency, its economy, media and quality of life are featured, along with foreign affairs, political dissent and problems posed by the pandemic, climate change and political dissent.

This book presents a comprehensive survey of the current state of Russia and how Russia is likely to develop in the immediate future. Not always sticking to the mainstream narrative, it covers political events including Putin’s constitutional reforms of January 2020 and their likely consequences, economic developments, Russia’s international relations and military activities, and changes and issues in Russian society, including in education, the place of women, health care and religion. Special attention is paid to manifestations of the COVID-19 pandemic. The book’s overall conclusion is that events of 2020 may compel Putin to ‘think again’ before he decides whether to run for office in 2024.

With the end of Cold War discipline the world has entered a new era. Parameters have changed; new handicaps as well as new opportunities have been created for countries. Turkey as a neighbor of former USSR, a member of NATO and located at the center of a sensitive region covered by Caucasus, Balkans and Middle East, has been affected by the end of Cold War radically. Turkey has lost some of her bargaining cards in the new era and therefore has needed new arguments. This need encouraged Turkey to take active steps in Post Cold War era. This book analyzes Turkey s relations with US, EU, Balkans, Middle East, Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, China and Japan. At the same time, effects of economic crises and domestic developments on foreign policy, Turkish model in Turkish foreign policy, water conflict and Kurdish problem are analyzed as well. To conclude, it is possible to argue that although Turkey lost some of her bargaining cards in Post Cold War era, new developments pushed Turkey to the center of world politics rather then to periphery. Contributors: Meliha Benli Altunisik, Deniz Ülke Aribogan, Hüseyin Bagci, Idris Bal, Zeyno Baran, Fulya Kip Barnard, Erol Bulut, Ibrahim S. Canbolat, Saziye Gazioglu, Ramazan Gözen, Saban Kardas, H. Bülent Olcay, Cengiz Okman, Henry E. Paniev, Victor Panin, Dirk Rochtus, Faruk Sönmezoglu, Gül Turan, Ilter Turan, Mustafa Türkes, Nasuh Uslu.

This book surveys Russia's relations with the world since 1992 and assesses the future prospect for the foreign policy of Europe's largest country. Together these essays offer an authoritative summary and assessment of Russia's relations with its neighbors and with the rest of the world since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Russia's place in the world as a powerful regional actor can no longer be denied; the question that remains concerns what this means in terms of foreign policy and domestic stability for the actors involved in the situation, as Russia comes to grips with its newfound sources of might.

Renegotiating the Nuclear Order offers a sociological approach to the nuclear order, and order defined by nuclear technology and nuclear weapons. The focus is on the need to renegotiate the nuclear order, given the conflict between deterrence and disarmament and the unbalanced distribution of rights and responsibilities between the nuclear and nonnuclear states. The study applies the concepts, a relevant social group, and a technological frame developed in the sociology of technology on the current competition between the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Treaty on the Prohibition on Nuclear Weapons. The negotiations of the nuclear programs of North Korea and Iran form the empirical background. The policy challenges identified in the sociotechnical analysis are threefold. Firstly, there is the need to guarantee the credibility of the nuclear diplomacy in the gap between the “military” and the “peaceful”. Secondly, during the past 50 years the rights of the non-nuclear states have been undermined, while the nuclear-weapon states have ignored their disarmament obligations. There is a need to renegotiate a new balance. Thirdly, the relationship between the two treaties has to be clarified. The proposal is to clearly separate the two into a comprehensive treaty on non-proliferation and to a verifiable treaty on prohibiting nuclear weapons. This book will be of much interest to students of security studies, arms control and disarmament, sociology, STS (Science-Technology-Society) studies, and International Relations.