Knyazeva Svetlana Evgen’evna – PhD in History, Associate Professor, Faculty of International Relatons, Political Sciences and Foreign Regional Studies, RSUH
The article analyzes geopolitical interests of the Turkish Republic in the Mediterranean region, including in the Eastern Mediterranean zone, as well as the reproduction of the imperial idea and the features of Turkey’s foreign policy strategy in the context of strengthening of neo-Ottomanism in this country. The author aims to demonstrate the role that neo-Ottomanism played in determining Turkey’s foreign policy strategy and the development of its cooperation with Balkan states in the late 2010s – early 2020s. It is indicated that there is a tendency to expand the use of the mythology of neo-Ottomanism both in official discourse and in political actions of various political forces. It is especially significant that the foreign policy program prepared by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and proclaimed by R.T. Erdogan, received the name «The Turkish Century». The author points out that empires are capable of not only dying, but also being reborn, and the core idea of empire is the reproduction of the «mythology of greatness». After all, neo-Ottomanism, which played a very modest role in Turkish politics at the dawn of the 21st century, has significantly strengthened its position in the last decade. The focus of the study is Turkey’s return to the Balkans in the 21st century. The main stages of interaction between the Republic of Turkey and the countries of the Balkan Peninsula are examined, and the forms of its cooperation with these states in the economic, political, and cultural spheres are analyzed. The author comes to the conclusion that Turkey is trying to strengthen its position in the region, using the factor of historical memory of the influence that the Ottoman Empire had in the Balkans for centuries. The nature of the nationwide celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic shows that the country undoubtedly strives for the revival of imperial traditions.
«The Turkish Century», Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean, North-Eastern Mediterranean, Balkan Peninsula’s countries, imperial idea, R.T. Erdogan, 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, neo-Ottomanism, Osmanlı, «mythology of greatness», rising power
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