Current Affairs

Issue

To balance delicate ties with both Russia and Ukraine, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is on a visit to Ukraine.

 

Background

Turkey is trying to walk a tightrope by engaging with both the parties involved in the Ukraine crisis and solving the issue through dialogues.

 

Details

• President Erdogan believes that his country can play a mediator between the countries and diffuse tensions before its turns into a crisis.

• Being a member of NATO, Turkey has a vital role in Black Sea region. Any tensions in the region could spill over into the country.

 

The plans

• Erdogan will hold talks with Ukrainian President in Kyiv before hosting Russian President Putin in Turkey after his return from China.

• He also already told that invading Ukraine would not be rational and the country was ready to do anything as a NATO member.

 

Ukraine-Turkey ties

• Turkey has ancient ethnic ties with Ukraine’s Crimean Tatar community. It had opposed Russian annexation of Crimean peninsula.

• Turkey has sold Bayraktar TB2 drones as part of defence cooperation, which has been used to attack pro-Russian separatists in Donbass region.

 

Partnership with Russia

• Turkey controversially bought S-400 missile system from Russia amidst opposition from US and other NATO allies.

• Since then, Turkey has been trying hard to repair the relationship. It may even have to sanction Russia or join operations against it.

• Russia is a major tourism market, providing vital foreign currency during exchange crisis. Russia has used the situation in the past.

• Russia had stopped tourists from flying to Turkey and also halted import of agricultural products from Turkey after downing of its aircraft.

• Turkey also needs Russia’s support for maintaining its support in northern Syria. Russia is also the main source of natural gas for Turkey.