THE BLACK SEA REGION IN GLOBAL POLITICS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION’S ROLE IN SHAPING SECURITY AND GEOPOLITICAL STRATEGIES IN EAST-CENTRAL EUROPE

Abstract

The Black Sea Region (BSR) has re-emerged as a pivotal arena in global geopolitics, functioning as a strategic crossroads linking Europe, Asia, and the Middle East through critical energy corridors, maritime routes, and security frameworks. Historically shaped by great power rivalries, from Ottoman–Russian confrontations to Cold War bipolarity and NATO’s post-Soviet expansion, the region now reflects renewed competition between Western alliances and emerging Eurasian institutions. This study analyzes the evolving role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in influencing the security and geopolitical strategies of East-Central Europe (ECE). Using a qualitative, case-based approach based on secondary data, policy documents, and academic literature, the research applies the Regional Security Complex Theory (RSCT) and Geopolitical Realism to interpret the SCO’s strategic influence. The findings reveal that while the SCO’s institutional presence in ECE remains limited, it exercises soft and symbolic power through its member states, particularly Russia, China, and Türkiye via economic integration, energy linkages, and strategic coordination. These dynamics have repositioned the Black Sea as a zone of overlapping spheres of influence, compelling East-Central European states to balance between Euro-Atlantic commitments and Eurasian engagement. The study concludes that the SCO’s expanding Eurasian outlook contributes to strengthening regional interconnectivity, reinforcing the multipolar transformation of international politics, and gradually challenging Western strategic predominance in the Black Sea region.