Does Turkey Have the Right to Mediate Between Moscow and Kyiv?
Regarding Turkey’s impartial stance in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, Rafael Fakhruldinov wrote in “Vzglyad”:
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in an interview with the newspaper Hurriyet during a visit to London, stated that a solution to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict can only be found under the conditions of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin had indicated that Kyiv must withdraw its forces from four newly annexed Russian regions.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed regret over Ankara’s continued military-technical cooperation with the Kyiv regime.
On this matter:
Vadim Trukhachev, Assistant Professor in the Department of Regional Studies and Foreign Policy at the Russian State University for the Humanities, said: “Turkey has not left NATO, has not cut its ties with the European Union, nor withdrawn its application for EU membership. Therefore, such statements should not come as a surprise.”
Furthermore, Fidan mentioned during a meeting with his British counterpart that London is a strategic partner for Ankara, reminding that even the Turkish nationalist project was inspired and supported by the British.
“Moreover:
Turkey has many interests in the Black Sea, and Crimea is part of Turkey’s special interest area. It is more appropriate for Ankara to be aligned with Ukraine rather than Russia. The contradictions between Russia and Turkey are simply everywhere: in Central Asia, the South Caucasus, the Balkans, the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond.”
“What unites us with Turkey, in fact, is only our mutual reluctance to heed Western dictates. However, NATO members, including Turkey, cannot act as mediators in conflicts involving NATO’s strategic interests or its members.”
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