The Ideological Framework of Early Post-Soviet Russia’s Relationship with Turkey: The Case of Alexander Dugin’s Eurasianism

Abstract:

Every historical phenomenon can be approached from different perspectives, and its particular attributes can be as important as being related to other structurally similar phenomena. The collapse of the USSR did not lead to absolute predominance of the USA even in the early post-Cold War era. This provided an opportunity for Russia and Turkey, together of course with other players, to engage in geopolitical flirtations on the grounds of common historical and cultural traits. ‘Eurasianism’, as professed by Alexander Dugin and similar minded intellectuals, was the ideological framework for this attempt by Turkey and Russia or at least by some segments of their elites to move closer to each other.