Crimea in Turkish-Russian Relations: Identity, Discourse, or Interdependence?
Journal: Athens Journal of Social Sciences
Year: 2018

Black Sea has been an important scene in Turkish-Russian relations since the times of Ottoman and Russian Empires. For the Ottoman Empire it was an "Ottoman/Turkish Lake", while for Russia it was an exit to open seas or "warm seas" with the widespread term. Crimea had the leading role in this scene. First of all it has always been an important port with its geostrategic position. But at the same time it was also an important Tatar centre, which had religious and cultural ties with the Ottoman Em