• Publications
    • Books
    • Opinions
    • Analyses
    • Reports
  • Events
  • About
    • SETA DC
    • People
  • US-Türkiye Relations
  • Washington Gündemi
  • Contact
  • info@setadc.org
    202-223-9885
    1025 Connecticut Ave NW
    Suite 410
    Washington, DC 20036
  • Publications
    • Books
    • Opinions
    • Analyses
    • Reports
  • Events
  • About
    • SETA DC
    • People
  • US-Türkiye Relations
  • Washington Gündemi
  • Contact

Why is the Sochi meeting significant?

Burhanettin Duran Posted On August 7, 2022
0
37 Views


I visited Sochi, Russia as part of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s official delegation on Friday. The visit took place in a new world, one shaped by a great power competition (which the Ukraine war deepened), and was a significant gathering for several reasons.

It is obviously important for Turkey, a NATO ally, to remain committed to its balance-of-power policy, which enables it to negotiate with Russia for the proper implementation of the grain deal and a future cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia.

With regard to regional and bilateral relations, in turn, that visit can be viewed as a continuation of Erdoğan’s July 19 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the margins of the Tehran summit. Indeed, their meeting agenda in Sochi covered issues that could not be resolved in the Iranian capital and attempts to address additional proposals. Those issues included Turkey’s probable military operation in northern Syria and economic cooperation.

The fact that Turkey’s foreign minister, defense minister, intelligence chief and head of defense industry were present points to negotiations focusing on security and defense. Moreover, the ministers of treasury and finance, trade, energy and agriculture as well as the head of the central bank were in Sochi – which suggests that the meeting had a multidimensional economic agenda.

It was also noteworthy that Erdoğan and Putin held a tete-a-tete meeting and had a working lunch in addition to the inter-delegational meeting.

As Europe experiences a lack of leaders like the former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Erdoğan and Putin build on more than 20 years of experience. In truth, their leader-to-leader diplomacy, which the two presidents have been conducting since 2005, has certain unique qualities.

First and foremost, that relationship has a history of managing competition and tensions while also promoting cooperation. The two leaders, who have met more frequently in recent years, have not only focused on deepening their bilateral relations and managing crisis areas like Libya, Syria and Karabakh. At the same time, they find opportunities to exchange views on international developments.

The meeting in Sochi related to all aspects of the bilateral relationship. The leaders thus put the finishing touches on a variety of ongoing discussions. That broad spectrum of cooperation covers many specific programs, from energy (e.g. Akkuyu and TurkStream) and agriculture to tourism and trade.

As Erdoğan noted and the joint statement reflected, Turkey and Russia have turned over a “rather different page.” Likewise, Putin’s comments on the strategic projects the two states are implementing were noteworthy: “Europe should be grateful to Turkey for the uninterrupted flow of natural gas.”

In recent months, the opposition has criticized the expanding cooperation between Turkey and Russia more and more frequently. It would not be surprising for the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the Good Party (İP) to turn up their critique in the wake of the Sochi summit.

Turkey’s policy toward Russia does not rest on ideology but on a rational and dynamic balancing of national interests. Of course, the balance-of-power policy entails certain risks as well.

Turkey, which seeks to play an active role within the Western alliance and faces the reality of Russia in its neighborhood, cannot be expected to react categorically to any development. Turkey has Western allies that support the PKK terrorist organization and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG, but won’t sell it armed drones, missiles or aircraft when needed. It also has neighbors and partners that it opposes in Syria.

Keeping in mind that conflict-ridden network of relationships, expecting Turkey to implement the bloc’s policies would be incompatible with the geopolitical realities. That is especially true in a world heading toward multipolarity.

Turkey made several attempts to deepen its relationship with the United States and the European Union. The response to such attempts should not be abandonment in Syria or support for Greece’s maximalist demands over the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean. Nor should the West respond to Ankara’s military operations in Syria with sanctions.

The current situation in the international arena requires Turkey to pursue an exceptional policy toward Russia. The Western governments must take all those equilibria into account and approach Ankara with new proposals for cooperation, investment and integration.

Daily Sabah, August 7, 2022

Post Views: 37



You may also like
Escalation in Ukraine War Before Trump’s Inauguration
November 22, 2024
Biden Ukrayna’ya Desteğin Kalıcı Olmasına Çalışıyor
November 16, 2024
One step away from World War III
March 22, 2024
  • Recent

    • Trump-Netanyahu Relationship Takes a Turn for the Worse
      May 30, 2025
    • Why Is Trump Bypassing Israel?
      May 30, 2025
    • Israel’s plan to involve the United States in the occupation...
      May 30, 2025
    • Private Roundtable With Turkish Deputy FM Nuh Yılmaz
      May 20, 2025
    • “Beyond Alliance: Rethinking US-Türkiye Relations...
      May 20, 2025
    • Trump's first 100 days...
      May 5, 2025
    • Will the rare earth elements deal bring peace?
      May 5, 2025
    • Is the U.S. withdrawing from Syria?
      April 25, 2025
    • The two-state solution debate and Türkiye’s strategic...
      April 16, 2025
    • Turkish-American Relations in the Middle East under...
      April 4, 2025

  • Washington Gündemi

    • Trump’tan İsrail’in İran’a Saldırı Tehdidine...
      May 30, 2025
    • Elon Musk Washington’a Veda Etti
      May 29, 2025
    • Harvard Direniyor
      May 29, 2025
    • Suriye’ye Yaptırımlar Kalkıyor
      May 29, 2025
    • Demokrat Parti’de Liderlik Arayışı
      May 23, 2025
    • Washington İsrail’e Mesafe Koyuyor   
      May 23, 2025
    • ‘Büyük, Güzel Yasa Tasarısı’ Meclisten Geçti
      May 22, 2025
    • Trump-Putin Hattı: Barışa Giden Yol mu, Oyalama...
      May 22, 2025
    • İlaç Fiyatlarında Yeni Düzenleme
      May 16, 2025
    • Güvenlik ve Rekabet Arasında Yapay Zeka 
      May 16, 2025



Stay Updated


© Copyright 2018-2022 SETA Foundation at Washington DC
Press enter/return to begin your search