LEADER TO LEADER DIPLOMACY IN PEACEMAKING: THE RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN WAR

Öz

Leaders are central to the individual-level decision-making process in international relations, with their personality, beliefs, and political understanding significantly shaping outcomes. In the context of peacemaking, a complex process involving multiple actors and stages leaders play a determinative role in fostering dialogue and negotiation. Traditional approaches to peacemaking often focus on institutional or structural factors, but the emerging concept of leader-to-leader diplomacy offers a new lens for understanding how leaders influence bilateral and multilateral relations. This framework emphasizes four dimensions: entrepreneurship, intense interaction, flexible thinking, and interpersonal friendship. This article explores the role of leader-to-leader diplomacy in peacemaking efforts during the Russian-Ukrainian War, highlighting its significance in the broader context of international conflict resolution. Key initiatives, such as the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, the Dolmabahçe Talks, and the Black Sea Grain Initiative, illustrate how leader-to-leader diplomacy facilitated critical breakthroughs. The Antalya Diplomacy Forum marked the beginning of large-scale negotiations, while the Dolmabahçe Talks facilitated by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President Volodymir Zelensky, and President Vladimir Putin represented the first and only major peace talks during the conflict. These efforts underscore the importance of entrepreneurial leadership and flexible thinking in advancing peacemaking processes. Additionally, the multilateral dimension of peacemaking, exemplified by deep interactions between regional leaders through visits and phone calls, further demonstrates the practical application of leader-to-leader diplomacy. The study argues that leader-to-leader diplomacy was instrumental in the Russian-Ukrainian War, offering a robust framework for analyzing peacemaking processes in other international conflicts. This approach can enrich both theoretical and practical understanding of the role of leaders in the peacemaking process in international relations.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• leader to leader diplomacy
• The Russian-Ukrainian war
• attempts at peace
• The Grain Deal
• peacemaking

BARIŞ YAPIM SÜREÇLERİNDE LİDER DİPLOMASİSİ: RUSYA-UKRAYNA SAVAŞI

Öz

Liderler, uluslararası ilişkilerde bireysel düzeydeki karar alma sürecinin merkezinde yer almaktadır; kişilikleri, inançları ve siyasi anlayışları, özellikle de barış inşa süreçlerinde sonuçları önemli ölçüde şekillendirmektedir. Barış inşaası, birden fazla aktörü ve aşamayı içeren karmaşık bir süreç olarak geleneksel yaklaşımlarda genellikle kurumsal veya yapısal faktörlere odaklanmaktadır. Ancak, lider diplomasisi kavramı, liderlerin ikili ve çok taraflı ilişkileri nasıl etkilediğini anlamak için yeni bir perspektif sunmaktadır. Açıkalın’ın lider diplomasisi kavramı aynı zamanda dört boyutlu bir analiz çerçevesi ortaya koymaktadır; girişimcilik, yoğun etkileşim, esnek düşünce ve liderler arası dostluk. Bu makale, Rusya-Ukrayna Savaşı sırasındaki barış inşa çabalarında lider diplomasinin rolünü incelemekte ve bu kavramın uluslararası çatışma çözümündeki geniş kapsamlı önemini vurgulamaktadır. Antalya Diplomasi Forumu, Dolmabahçe Görüşmeleri ve Karadeniz Tahıl Girişimi gibi kilit girişimler, lider diplomasinin sürecin oluşmasındaki kolaylaştırıcı rolünü ele almaktadır. Antalya Diplomasi Forumu, geniş kapsamlı müzakerelerin başlangıcını işaret ederken, Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan, Cumhurbaşkanı Zelenskiy ve Cumhurbaşkanı Putin'in diplomatik çabalarıyla gerçekleşen Dolmabahçe Görüşmeleri, çatışma sırasındaki ilk ve tek geniş kapsamlı barış görüşmesidir. Bu çabalar, barış inşa süreçlerini ilerletmede girişimci liderlik ve esnek düşüncenin önemini ortaya koymuştur. Ayrıca, liderlerin birbirleriyle ikili ziyaretler ve telefon görüşmeleri aracılığıyla gerçekleştirdiği derin etkileşimler, lider diplomasinin somut örneğidir. Dolayısıyla bu çalışma, lider diplomasinin Rusya-Ukrayna Savaşı'nın barış yapım süreçlerinde büyük bir etkiye sahip olduğunu ve diğer uluslararası çatışmalardaki barış inşa süreçlerini analiz etmek için alternatif bir çerçeve olarak kullanabileceğini ortaya koyarak, barış inşa süreçlerinde liderlerin rolü bağlamında hem teorik hem de uygulama alanını zenginleştirmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• lider diplomasisi
• Rusya-Ukrayna savaşı
• barış yapım
• Tahıl Koridoru Antlaşması Anlaşması
• Anlaşma

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