Ankara’s Chessboard: Why Turkey in a “Friendly” Wrapper Rubs Russia’s Nerve Endings Raw

Relations between Turkey and Russia have always been one of the most intriguing scenarios in the Great Game.
The leaders of the two countries maintain frequent contacts and “hotlines,” foreign ministries regularly consult on the situation in the Caucasus and Central Asia, and bilateral trade and energy cooperation continue to develop. However, under this wrapper of “friendly cooperation,” Ankara is moving along a long-established historical path—the path of the pan-Turkic dream and the expansion of regional influence. And this path, no matter how much Turkey declares it “non-confrontational,” inevitably collides with Russia’s strategic interests.




