Journal of Balkan and Black Sea Studies Year I, Issue 1, Fall 2018, pp. 77-114. Turkish National Movement and Soviet Russia in Caucasus (1919-1922) Tsvetelina Tsvetkova Abstract: The article presents the role of Caucasus in the establishment of new political relations between Soviet Russia and the Turkish National Movement during the eventful period between 1919 and 1922. It examines the politics used by two different regimes, whose common enemy made them realize collaborative actions while finding an approach to achieve their own interests. In the framework of this complicated process, the region of an age-old confrontation between Russian and Ottoman empires – Caucasus, had again crucial importance in the post-war period to facilitate the overall connection between Soviet Russia and Ankara Government. Keywords: Turkish National Movement, Soviet Russia, Caucasus, collaboration, border question Introduction The end of the First World War brought a serious reshaping of the European map and of the international relations. Being in confrontation for many years in the Caucasian region, now the successors of the Ottoman and Russian empires – Ankara government of Mustafa Kemal and Soviet government of Vladimir Ulyanov - Lenin, had to solve the "Caucasian question", which included not only the determination of the This article is based on a research, implemented with the support of TÜBİTAK. PhD., Visiting Scholar, Center for Balkan and Black Sea Studies of Yıldız Technical University, email:
[email protected] 77 TSVETELINA TSVETKOVA borderline and territorial pretentions, but the role of the region that it would play in the mutual relation in the hostile international environment. The solution was complicated given the fact that after the October Revolution the Caucasian nations started their fight for independence and establishment of their own countries.