Publication

The three articles in this issue of the RAD focus on the dicey state of Russia-Turkey relations. The first article argues that Turkey’s downing of a Russian Su-24 aircraft (in November 2015) should be seen as a symptom, rather than as a cause, of the crisis in relations between the two countries – a crisis that has actually been brewing since 2008. The second article then contends that the two countries’ economic interdependence, and the normalization it both creates and requires, is being trumped by their opposing long-term strategic goals in Syria, their mutual perceptions of betrayal, and Russia’s sense of humiliation over the shootdown. The final article touts the complexity of Russia-Turkey relations, which means we would be wrong to assume that the Su-24 incident has made them sworn enemies.