Turkey wants to take in the crisis between Russia and the Ukraine the role of facilitator. Both sides show little interest, and experts doubt the success of this project.
The relations between Russia and Ukraine, tense since the annexation of the Crimea by Russian forces in March 2014, have achieved with the recent incidents in the Strait of Kerch, between the Black sea and the Azov sea, to a new low.
Surprisingly, the Turkish President, Erdogan explained that Turkey could mediate between the two parties to the conflict. Whether in Ankara for this project has a specific Plan, is not known. The two parties responded to the behavior on Erdogan’s proposal. Both Russia and Ukraine declared at the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires, you would not have needed a mediator.
Confrontation in the Strait of Kerch (from a Video of the Russian coast guard)
Compared with the Deutsche Welle representatives declared Turkish government, Erdogan will come to the G-20 summit with Russian President Putin together with him on all aspects of the crisis. Ankara wants to call on Russia specifically, the crisis does not escalate further. In addition, representatives of the government, wool, Erdogan, Putin, and compete to say: “The struggle with the West on the backs of the Ukraine, is futile.” In addition, Erdogan will refer you to the Turkish-Russian cooperation in Syria and the desire to Express that Russia focused more on Syria than on Ukraine.
“Turkey is trying to internationally cooperate”
Kerim Has, a political scientist in Moscow
Kerim Has, from the Moscow state University declared that Turkey had been critical of the Russian annexation of the Crimea and the Ukraine. “If Turkey acts as a mediator, opens up a discussion about where you are positioned in this conflict. Russia will ask Turkey to withdraw”, so Has. The Ukraine is going to do the same. Has refers to the fact that both sides have spoken out clearly against Turkey as a mediator. “Turkey is trying to show itself on the international stage. It is your own Prestige. But there is nothing that she could do in this case. The Turkey should remain in terms of their foreign policy, but rather realistic,” so Has.
Soli Özel, a political analyst in Istanbul
Soli Ozel, an expert on International relations, explained that Turkey’s attempts to bring in global Affairs the impression that your word was important. Özel noted that Erdogan maintains on the one hand, the dialogue with Russia and on the other side of the Ukrainian President to Ankara invites.
Domestically, Erdogan is trying to present the Turkish Public’s own country as a major Power, so Özel. Ozal, however, assumes that the attempts at mediation in the Ukraine crisis remain unsuccessful.
Nihat Ali Özcan
Nihat Ali Özcan of the Foundation for the study of the economy and politics of Turkey (TEPAV), explains: “This is not a crisis between Russia and the Ukraine. This is a crisis between Russia and the West. If the crisis is aggravated, the Western world, Erdogan questions on whose side he stands. In the case of the mediation efforts, the risk, the need to make the Turkey the question of whether it is on the side of the West or on the side of Russia.”
In the past, Turkey already took the role of mediator between the Russian and American military and was head of talks between them after in April, the suspected attacks with chemical weapons in Syria. Also in November, 2017, the Turkey mediated the release of two Crimean Tatar politicians who had been convicted on the Russian-annexed Crimea to prison.