THE ACTIVITIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION IN THE BLACK SEA: ITS POLICIES, STRENGTHS-WEAKNESSES AND RIVALRY WITH RUSSIA

Abstract

Black Sea is a region of opportunities and challenges. The attractiveness of these opportunities pushes many international actors including the EU to involve in the politics of the region despite the challenges existing in the region. After the end of Cold War, it became possible for the EU to establish relations with the countries in the region. The eastern enlargement covering the post-Soviet countries in the Central and Eastern Europe led to an increase in the importance of the Black Sea region in the EU’s neighbourhood. By the way, the EU has been involving into the region through various kinds of mechanisms. As the level of involvement of the EU to the region increases, the competition between the EU and Russia aiming to design their shared neighbourhoods in line with their own objectives has also intensified. This study aims to examine the EU’s way of handling of its relations with the Black Sea region. In this scope, firstly, the EU mechanisms targeting the region will be elaborated. Secondly, the strengths and weaknesses of the EU policies in the Black Sea region will be discussed. Finally, the balance between the EU and Russia in the Black Sea will be considered. 

Keywords

• European Union
• Black Sea
• European Neighbourhood Policy
• Eastern Partnership
• Russia

AVRUPA BİRLİĞİ’NİN KARADENİZ’DEKİ FAALİYETLERİ: POLİTİKALARI, GÜÇLÜ-ZAYIF YÖNLERİ VE RUSYA İLE REKABETİ

Öz

Karadeniz fırsatlar ve meydan okumaları bünyesinde barındıran bir bölgedir. Bölgenin sunduğu fırsatların cazibesi, birçok uluslararası aktörü, Avrupa Birliği (AB) de dâhil olmak üzere, bölgedeki meydan okumalara aldırış etmeden bölgeye müdahil olmaya yöneltmektedir. Soğuk Savaşın bitmesinin ardından AB’nin bölge ülkeleriyle ilişki kurması mümkün hale gelmiştir. Merkezi ve Doğu Avrupa’da yer alan eski Sovyet ülkelerinin doğu genişlemesiyle AB üyesi haline gelmesiyle Karadeniz bölgesinin AB’nin komşuluk alanlarındaki önemi de artmıştır. Bundan dolayı AB bölgeye farklı mekanizmalar yoluyla müdahil olmaktadır. AB’nin bölgeye dâhil olma düzeyinde meydana gelen artışa bağlı olarak Rusya ile arasında bölgeyi kendi hedeflerine uygun olarak dönüştürmek noktasındaki rekabette de artış gözlenmiştir. Bu çalışmada AB’nin Karadeniz bölgesiyle ilişkilerini nasıl ele aldığı incelenmesi hedeflenmektedir. Bu bağlamda, ilk olarak, AB’nin bölgeye yönelik politika araçları açıklanacaktır. İkinci olarak, AB’nin Karadeniz’deki güçlü ve zayıf yanları ele alınacaktır. Son olarak ise Karadeniz’de AB ve Rusya arasındaki denge analiz edilecektir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Avrupa Birliği
• Karadeniz
• Avrupa Komşuluk Politikası
• Doğu Ortaklığı
• Rusya

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