Explaining neutrality: the cases of Turkmenistan and Ukraine

Abstract

Neutrality has always brought attention of scholars and politicians as well. Recent events in Ukraine and further debates on Ukraine’s alignment status have once again sparked interest to exploring this concept and the reasons for a state to adopt a neutral stance. The aim of this study is to contribute to the growing researches on neutrality in international politics by exploring particular explanations for different forms of neutrality. For this purpose, it conceptually differentiates forms of neutrality according to their degree of institutionalization, i.e. permanent neutrality and non-alignment, and explains the factors leading states to adopt one form or the other. Based on existing theories of alignment behavior, the thesis formulates two explanations of neutral status: a domestic-level explanation and an explanation emphasizing ideational factors. These explanations are then applied to the cases of Ukraine and Turkmenistan. Whereas the former has followed a policy of non-alignment, the latter has adopted a permanently neutral status. Accounting for these differences in neutral status, the study demonstrates the relevance of domestic-level and ideational factors.