Never Waste a Crisis” Post 2019 Pandemic Regional Architecture of the Black Sea Region

Abstract

After the Covid-19 global pandemic, the geopolitical significance of the Black Sea Region (BSR), with changing resources and distribution of power,
has changed opening renewed scope of engagement to both internal and external actors. Since 2019 as the epidemiological crisis has been strengthening
nation-states, showing the weakness of international organizations, and raising doubts about the extent to which international society is fulfilling
its declared values and principles of human rights and ethics, it has spread new perspectives for countries around the Black Sea.
This article explores the strategic importance of the BSR for the six coastal states of Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and their
policies since 2019. It further explores the strategies that they are using vis-à-vis each other to assert their influence in the region. The article argues
that the BSR, due to its strategic and transit location, being the subject of interest of several actors has been affected by an unequal distribution of the
balance of power since 2019. Russia, Turkey, the United States of America (US), NATO and the European Union (EU) member states, being particularly
active, continue playing significant roles in the region affecting its political milieu. The interplay of these policies is reflected in coexistence as well
as confrontation among the BSR countries. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia’s power, standing out from other actors, with its aspirations
within the region is increasing after the Covid-19 pandemic. Along with Russia, Turkey has also relative strength and a military advantage compared
to other countries in the region. Pandemic has opened up additional opportunities for Russia’s domestic and foreign engagement in its near abroad
of the BSR, making it one of the principal architects of the post-crisis world order. “Never waste a good crisis” – these words attributed to Winston
Churchill are relevant for the BSR today as never before reflecting Russia’s policy that neither Russia nor other state has missed during the systemic
crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic in terms of rethinking their regional and global policies.
Considering this constellation, the first part of this article discusses