Mediating role of Turkey
Date: 07 February 2022 Tags: MiscellaneousIssue
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.