The buzzwords at the meeting of the Russian and Turkish presidents were difficult: Syria, combat drones, the Ukraine war.
Vladimir Putin welcomes Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi.
(dpa) Recep Tayyip Erdogan didn’t seem uncomfortable with the spotlight during his visit to Russia. “Now the world is looking at Sochi again,” he said at the beginning of the meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. But whether concrete results had been achieved and if so which ones, the two heads of state kept to themselves for the time being. Both countries announced in advance that the meeting should deal with current regional and global events. It was expected that, in addition to the Ukraine war, the situation in Syria and possibly cooperation with Turkish combat drones would also be discussed.
Turkey and Russia maintain a partnership that is primarily characterized by strategic interests. Daria Isachenko from the Science and Politics Foundation calls it “a very sensitive network of connections”. Turkey depends on grain, energy and tourists from Russia. In 2020, almost 34 percent of Turkey’s gas imports came from there. Russian gas pipelines run through Turkey. Turkey is also not participating in Western sanctions against Russia, which increases the country’s importance for Russian companies, for example.
The Russian foreign policy expert Alexei Pushkov, for example, praised Erdogan for representing the interests of his own country “in contrast to the euro politicians” and not being afraid of “confronting the collective West.” At the same time, both countries are on different sides in conflicts such as in Syria, Libya or in Nagorno-Karabakh, without taking direct action against each other.
Syria as a topic of conversation
This is one of the reasons why Turkey is likely to depend on the green light for another Syria offensive. Hüseyin Bagci, head of the Turkish Foreign Policy Institute, told the DPA news agency that Erdogan traveled to Russia because he had not yet received what he wanted – namely an agreement for another offensive in Syria.
The Turkish President has been threatening this for several weeks. Without the approval of Russia – in the Syrian civil war on the side of the regime – Ankara should not dare to take this step. So far, however, Moscow has clearly advised Turkey not to do so.
Turkey argues the offensive is necessary to counter the “terrorist” threat. Observers, on the other hand, suspect strategic electoral action behind a renewed offensive.
Putin’s praise for Ankara’s mediation role
Before the talks began, Putin praised his guest for Turkey’s mediation in the grain crisis – and particularly referred to the additional declaration of intent with the UN, which is intended to promote the export of Russian food and fertilizers.
Agricultural exports via the Ukrainian Black Sea ports had recently been blocked for months because of the Russian war of aggression. War opponents Ukraine and Russia signed an agreement with Turkey on July 22, mediated by the United Nations, to allow grain exports from Ukraine from three ports.
It is the second face-to-face meeting between the two heads of state within a month. This is particularly remarkable in Putin’s case, since the Kremlin boss, who is increasingly isolated in the world, only conducts many of his conversations on the phone or via video link.
Ankara maintains close ties with both Moscow and Kyiv. Erdogan has sharply criticized Russia’s invasion, but has always emphasized that he does not want to give up any of his partners.
Question marks behind gun deals
Therefore, one prospective topic of conversation in particular had attracted attention. According to the Kremlin, the meeting should also discuss military-technical cooperation. Moscow recently showed interest in the Turkish combat drone Bayraktar TB2, which was also successfully used by Kyiv during the war.
CNN quoted Turk Erdogan as saying that Putin had suggested working with Turkey on the Baykar drones. Should Russia develop the drones together with Turkey, Moscow would also have access to the technology of a NATO member state.
Shortly after the start of the Russian war of aggression, Erdogan said he would not rule out arms deals with Russia. However, Baykar’s chairman told CNN International in mid-July that no drones had been delivered to Russia and “never would”. “We support Ukraine.”
Arms deals with Russia have brought sharp criticism to Turkey in the past. In 2017, Ankara acquired the Russian S-400 missile defense system. The United States had imposed sanctions under then-President Donald Trump for this reason. Turkey was also excluded from an important armaments project.