Peter the Great sought a warm-water port on the Black Sea. Source: www.worldsecuritynetwork.com/
The NYTimes published an article today detailing a set of energy deals concluded between Russia and Turkey in Ankara, with Prime Ministers Putin and Erdogan present. The deal was with Russian energy giant Gazprom, allowing state-owned Gazprom access to Turkish territorial waters, a benefit Russian czars and party chairmen since Peter the Great (pictured above — who ruled Russia from 1682-1725) have sought by force (or threat of force). Now, in true “Western” fashion, Russia, Inc. is signing a business contract that provides benefits to Turkey as well. Turkey desires to become an energy hub and has obtained a Russian commitment to build a pipeline across its territory.
The Times article explains how Western interests have competed with Russia for energy agreements with Turkey in order to avoid Russian dominance of the Eurasian energy pipeline system, and the consequent vulnerability of energy-hungry Western Europe. Russia has used pipeline cutoffs before for political purposes, e.g. with the Ukraine.
Turkey for its part, with a less pro-Western government than heretofore, headed by the moderate Islamist AKP party, probably does not mind playing what the Brits over a century ago called, “the Great Game,” or the Great Power competition in the East. Has Vlad the Great bested Peter??
