by Semanur Öncü
Abstract
This analysis examines Russia’s Central Asia policy during the Putin era. To provide context, it is necessary to briefly discuss the pre-Putin era. Prior to the collapse of the USSR, Russia’s Central Asia policy was unfavorable. However, under Putin’s presidency, relations between Central Asia and Russia began to improve. Despite this, Central Asia did not receive significant attention in Russia’s foreign policy following the Soviet Union’s collapse. The reasons for this were the Western-oriented foreign policy of then Russian President Boris Yeltsin and Moscow’s belief that these Commonwealth of Independent States countries would be economically, politically, and otherwise dependent on them due to their newness. After Putin became president, relations between Russia and the Central Asian countries began to strengthen in the 21st century. The issues of water scarcity in Central Asia, transfer of water from Siberian rivers to Central Asia, illegal migration and money laundering, and transportation of energy resources in Central Asia to world markets are among the problems that both sides are concerned about and seek cooperation on. This study analyzes the Russian Federation’s relations with the Central Asian states, which it considers its backyard.
Keywords: Central Asia, Russia, Putin
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