This book chapter has been produced as an output of the project titled “Turkic States on the 35th Anniversary of Their Independence: Political, Cultural and Economic Development, Identity and Future Vision,” supported by QAFSAM.
After the Soviet Union’s collapse, the ensuing security void hastened Russia’s attempts to construct a new regional security framework. During this process, Moscow sought both to maintain its former alliance relations and to reassert its leadership position through institutional means. The emerging structure, while grounded in the principle of collective defense, took shape within the context of shifting regional power dynamics.
Although the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization) is based on shared threat perceptions, it also reflects the diverse interests and priorities of its members. This reality has become a fundamental factor shaping both the organization’s functional capacity and the balance within its decision-making processes. Despite its formal appearance as a multilateral entity, in practice the system functions as a hierarchical security order directed by a single center.
This study examines the CSTO in its historical and institutional dimensions and evaluates its normative, military and political structures. The purpose of the study is to analytically reveal the organization’s position within the regional security system, its operational dynamics and the power relations that guide it.
Date: 2025
Book: Turkic States on the 35th Anniversary of Their Independence: Political, Cultural, Economic Development, Identity and Future Vision
Publisher: Gazi Kitabevi
Pages: 51-73