– Vladimir Putin and Tayyip Erdogan meet on Friday for the second time in simply over two weeks, after Turkey helped dealer a deal to renew Ukraine’s Black Sea grain exports which have been blocked by Russia’s invasion.
President Erdogan’s supporters say the settlement, which may curb hovering world meals costs, highlights the significance of NATO member Turkey’s diplomatic contacts with either side.
Though Turkey has criticised the Russian invasion and supplied Ukraine with arms, it has damaged with Western allies by not imposing sanctions on Russia.
That cautious stability displays the complexity of its ties with Russia, starting from shut cooperation on vitality provides to army competitors in Syria, Libya and Azerbaijan.
UKRAINE
Days after President Putin and Erdogan met in Tehran final month, Turkey oversaw a deal for the resumption of Ukraine’s grain exports.
Beneath the settlement, Turkey is internet hosting a joint centre the place Russian, Ukrainian, Turkish and United Nations representatives will work to make sure the secure transit of Ukraine’s exports to world markets.
Turkey relies upon closely on Russia and Ukraine for grain. Russia accounted for 56% of Turkish grain imports in 2021 at $2.24 billion, whereas imports from Ukraine amounted to $861 million
ARMSSALES
Turkish Bayraktar drones offered to Ukraine performed a outstanding function in slowing the advance of Russian forces once they pushed into Ukrainian territory in February.
However Turkey additionally has rising defence ties with Russia.
It purchased Russian S-400 missile defence batteries in 2019 and has prompt it may purchase extra, angering Washington which cancelled the sale of U.S. F-35 fighter jets and sanctioned Turkey’s defence industries.
Erdogan mentioned final yr Turkey was contemplating extra joint defence business steps with Russia, together with for fighter jets and submarines.
RIVALS IN WAR
In Syria, Turkey backs fighters who as soon as appeared near toppling President Bashar al-Assad, till Russian intervention shored up the Syrian chief and helped drive the insurgents again to a small pocket of northwest Syria on the Turkish border.
In February 2020, when an air strike killed at the least 34 Turkish troopers, Turkey poured reinforcements into the northwestern Idlib area to stall advances by Russian-backed Syrian authorities forces which had displaced 1 million individuals.
Erdogan says Turkey plans one other incursion into northern Syria focusing on areas managed by Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters, drawing criticism from Russia, Iran and the USA.
In Libya, Turkey’s army intervention turned again an assault on the internationally-recognised authorities in Tripoli by eastern-based forces who have been supported – in keeping with United Nations specialists – by fighters from the Russian Wagner Group.
In Azerbaijan, Turkey supported a army assault to drive ethnic Armenian forces out of a lot of the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh enclave within the south Caucasus – a area which Russia considers a part of its sphere of affect.
ENERGY
Russian pure fuel made up 45% of import-dependent Turkey’s fuel purchases final yr, which hit a report stage on account of drought and a associated rise in gas-driven energy manufacturing.
Russian nuclear conglomerate Rosatom can also be constructing a nuclear plant at Akkuyu in southern Turkey, which Putin has mentioned will begin working subsequent yr.
The plant is predicted to offer as much as 10% of Turkey’s vitality wants and can proceed to be operated and managed by Rosatom for a number of many years.
TOURISM
Seven million Russian vacationers visited Turkey in 2019, the most important quantity from any nation, earlier than the coronavirus pandemic drastically reduce overseas journey. Tourism stays a big supply of laborious foreign money for the Turkish financial system.
PERSONALCHEMISTRY
Putin and Erdogan have led their international locations for 2 rollercoaster many years.
In 2015 Turkey’s army shot down a Russian jet which crossed into Turkish air house, prompting a disaster in relations. However lower than a yr later, Putin was one of many first world leaders to specific assist for Erdogan when he survived a coup try, laying the muse for his or her rising defence ties.
Each, nevertheless, have stored one another ready at summit conferences, prompting media hypothesis about video games of one-upmanship. Erdogan was left ready for 2 minutes by Putin in 2020, just for the tables to be turned in Tehran final month.
“Was it revenge?” requested Turkey’s T24 web site in a headline.
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