Akdogan, Ismail2026-02-082026-02-0820250393-27291751-9721https://doi.org/10.1080/03932729.2025.2534474https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12885/5838Why has the United States (US) failed to prevent Turkey from pursuing strategic rapprochement with Russia? Over the last decade, the political, economic and military cooperation between Ankara-Moscow has caused serious concerns in Washington. An analysis based on Yasuhiro Izumikawa's theory of binding strategy explains why the US's coercion-based binding strategy has overall failed to effectively prevent Ankara's deepening strategic cooperation with Moscow. An explanation of the failure of the US's strategy towards Turkey is offered using a triangle model. The main reason for this failure is that the US pursued a coercion-based binding strategy towards Turkey against Russia's reward-based wedging strategy, coupled with a change in Turkey's security environment. This failure was further facilitated by the Turkish political elite's quest for strategic autonomy.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessalliance managementbinding strategygreat power competitionUSTurkeyRussiaArticle10.1080/03932729.2025.2534474604103119WOS:0015552425000012-s2.0-105013762062Q2Q1