Abstract. The end of the bipolar world order following the Cold War and the challenges in constructing a new international system led developing middle powers such as Turkey to t ransform and adapt their foreign policy strategies. In this process, Turkey emerged as o ne of the significant actors with regional leadership aspirations, owing to its geographical location and extensive relations with both the Western powers and Russia. One of the key pillars of Turkey s development efforts and regional ambitions has been it s balanced, cautious and pragmatic policies in the face of the gradually escalating tensions between Russia and the West in Russia s near abroad, particularly in the Black Sea Region. Turkey’s NATO member ship and its status as a candidate for the European Union membership , on the one and its comprehensive bilateral relations with Russia, on the have made Ankara ’s strategy, adopted amid the tensions that have extended to indirect military confrontation between Western powers and Russia, an impo rtant subject of study in international relations. This article examines the evolution, prospects, and problems of Turkey’ s policies in light of the developments that have spurred tensions be tween Russia and Western powers, including NATO and EU expansion towards Russia s borders, color revolutions in Russia’s near abroad ””, the 2008 Russia Georgia conflict, the Euromaidan protests in Ukraine in 2013 2014, the 2014 Crimea crisis , and the armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine backed by the West since 2022. In order to explain the Turkish perspective, the research mainly relies on studies by Turkish academic s and foreign policy experts and on analysis of Turkish official materials and discourse employed by high level politicians It concludes by emphasiz ing Turkey’s growing importance for both sides of the ongoing Russia Ukraine conflict in the region and the broader Russia West confrontation. While Turkey’s strategy towards growing tensions between Russia and the West is expected to be pursued in balanced and pragmatic strategy in the short term , it has a potential to change in favor of the West in the mid-term, if Turkey and its Western allies solve the ir trust problem and if the West backs Ankara in addressing its security concerns.

The article presents the research financially supported by MGIMO University, project No. 2025-04-04.