Global Perspectives | Turkish-Russian Relations

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Relations between Turkey and its Western allies have encountered recent challenges as Ankara's relations with Moscow warmed significantly after the downing of a Russian jet over Turkish airspace in 2015. Since then, Turkey has purchased the Russian S400 missile defense system, despite NATO opposition, and has grown its trade and energy ties with Russia through projects including the TurkStream Natural Gas Pipeline and the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant. But Ankara and Moscow have backed opposite sides in the conflicts in Syria, Libya, and Nagorno-Karabakh. What key factors shape this complex relationship, and where is it headed? On February 18, Habibe Ozdal, Assistant Professor of International Relations at Istanbul Okan University, will join Kennan Institute Director Matthew Rojansky, and Chair of the Middle East Program Ambassador James Jeffrey for a conversation on Turkish-Russian relations and their future trajectory.
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1) Im sick of experts constantly shouting about how important Turkey is. It gets repeated ad nauseum and when something is repeated so many times it gets taken as gospel. If Turkey left NATO Greece would become the next country to be the bulwark against Russia. The Istanbul strait isnt that important in the 21st century either. The strait of Malacca and Suez is far more important. Turkey couldnt even be bothered to fight ISIS members on its border. Right now Turkey is more of a liability and has oversold its importance. Its economy isnt that great when you take GDP per capita and its preferential treatment with the EU. Even its "second biggest army" argument is deceptive as most of them are reservists. Spiritually Turkey isnt in NATO. Its buying weapons from Russia for god sake. They are only in it because they see NATO and the EU as cash cows.

2) Have people forgotten about Cyprus or do they just not care? People constantly bring up Israel/Palestine and we have the same situation but Cyprus is too civilized and unimportant to get angry about. Then you get Turkey sending terrorists to Nagorno Karbakh in the same situation that they justified the invasion of Cyprus. Armenians were being killed before they even got independence from Russia with Sumgait. Turks HATE Armenians. Genocide denial is taken as divine truth and even now Turks in Azerbaijan are destroying Christian churches and any culture to erase their existence in the region.

3) The people of Turkey are different from the people of Europe. They have different values and they flirt between fascism and islamism. If Erdogan goes he will just be replaced with Erdogan v2 because Turkish people dont have self reflection. They were given democracy and secularism. They didnt demand it.

4) The argument over the Eastern Med is ridiculous. Its like Yemen claiming Saudi oil because they are cut off from the Middle East by Saudi Arabia's deserts. There is no difference between a nation having sovereignty over water and grass. Turkey is not "land locked". They have rights of passage by sea like every other country. They just want resources and to militarize the East Med which is dangerous with a country like Turkey. Besides Turkey takes all 12 miles in the Black Sea and nobody criticizes that. Pure greed and intrigue.

rndompersn