Blue homelands and red strongholds: The Libyan Civil War in Turkish and Russian strategy

Abstract

Libya’s geopolitical importance stems from its vast energy resources, its position in relation to Southern Europe, and its position at the entrance to the Eastern Mediterranean. Over the last two years, Libya’s civil war has provided an opportunity for Russia and Turkey to compete for long-term strategic gains in the Eastern Mediterranean. This article examines the geopolitics of Libya and the involvement of Russia and Turkey in the Libyan Civil War in the context of their interests and strategies in the Eastern Mediterranean, arguing that Russian and Turkish involvement in Libya broadly follows a deeper pattern of Russian and Turkish strategy in the Mediterranean that began in the 18th Century.