The politics of Russia on the Ottoman empire at the beginning of the 20th Century

When we look at the common history of the Ottoman Empire and Russia, we can see that a major part of this consists of a competitive relationship due to Russia?s struggle to gain the control of the Straits. However after the Berlin Congress Russia noticed that she can not act as an independent power regarding the policies concerning the Ottoman Empire, and she was constantly in a search of an ally.In the 20th century it can be said that all the policies that Russia carried out in the Ottoman Empire, were a part of her Strait policy. On the other hand her plans about the Straits always encountered obstacles. Russia in order to overcome these tried take hold of the Straits by benefitting from the opportunities which came out of the crisis in the region. Yet in this period Russia had no means to take hold of the Straits so she followed the policy of preserving the status quo in the regions. Therefore Russia?s main goal was to prevent the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire and to prevent the control of the Straits by a third state. For this reason Russia would ask for a reformation in order to improve the conditions of Slavs in the Balkans and Armenians in the East Anatolia. But Russia meanwhile desired the independence of neither Slavs nor Armenians. The fear of revolutionist activities within Russia?s own power spheres led Russia to take a negative attitude towards the Slavic and Armenian revolutionist activities. Therefore she wanted to form buffer states in her control both in the Balkans and in the East Anatolia. As it can be seen the policy of Russia both in the Balkans and in the East Anatolia is inconsistent.Russia in the Balkans supported the Slavs in a way that would be useful for her interests concerning the Straits. The ideal of Panislavism was the greatest weapon of Russia in this subject. Yet the Balkan Alliance which was formed short before the Balkan Wars soon was out of the control of Russia. And in the First World War, Russia could not prevent Bulgaria from joining the Axis Powers. All this would bring the failure of the Russia?s Policy in the Balkans alongside. On the other hand the efforts to open the Straits by diplomacy was resultless.The Brest-Litovsk, which was signed as a result of the Revolution in the Russia occurred in the First World War, is a turning point in the Russian-Turkish Relations.Key Words: 1) Russia, 2) Panislavism,3) Reformation, 4) The Straits Question,5) The Armenian Question