Erdogan analysis that draws Reuters attention

As the war between Russia and Ukraine continues, a remarkable article has been published about President Erdogan, one of the few NATO member countries that has a direct relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

The British news agency Reuters made notable comments about the balance of the Erdogan-Putin relationship.

On Sunday, armed Russian marines raided a ship in international waters, but near Istanbul, some 60 km (37 miles) off Turkey’s northwest coast, by helicopter to inspect a ship before sailing to what Russia calls Ukraine. .

While Turkey, which has the second largest army in NATO, did not make any public statement regarding this incident, which occurred at the southern end of the war that has been going on for a year and a half in the northern Black Sea. , it was stated that this situation could strain relations.

In the analysis, “While Russia’s raid on a ship off the coast of Turkey brought the effects of the Ukraine war to the border of another NATO country; It also raises the stakes these days when Turkey is trying to persuade Russia to sign a grain corridor deal that will bring some calm to the Black Sea.

“DEALING WITH ERDOGAN’S STABILITY”

Analysts say this incident tests President Tayyip Erdogan’s determination to maintain good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Erdogan had invited Putin to Turkey earlier this month to discuss restarting the United Nations (UN)-brokered Black Sea grain corridor deal, which allows grain exports from Ukraine.

Yörük Işık, a geopolitical analyst at the Bosphorus Observer consultancy in Istanbul, said: “This kind of inevitable aggression carried out so close to Istanbul ignores Turkey’s general rights.” Işık commented: “Ankara’s silence is strange, but it still shows that it trusts Putin’s visit and a return to the grain deal.”

Since Russia withdrew from the deal last month, both Ukraine and Russia have issued warnings and attacked ships off Russia’s coast, raising concerns that commercial shipping could become riskier in the Black Sea.

While Ukraine and some other Western states are promoting alternative routes for Ukraine’s grain exports, Turkey, which has good relations with Ukraine, quietly opposes these alternatives for security reasons. Turkey, which wants the West to agree to some of Russia’s demands and waive other Russian demands, wants to restart Ukraine’s grain exports under UN and Turkish supervision.

Russia hit more Ukrainian port facilities when Ukraine announced today that a container ship left Odessa as part of its own “humanitarian corridor” that it has created as one of the alternatives to the Black Sea grain corridor.

Rebeca Grynspan, secretary general of the UN conference on trade and development, said today that they are in contact with all parties to get back to the table, but that this has been “difficult” due to the recent bombardment of grain infrastructure.

PRECISE BALANCE

The Black Sea and the Turkish Straits are the main routes used by Ukraine and Russia, two of the world’s largest agricultural producers, to reach world markets.

Russia and Ukraine have announced they will treat ships approaching each other’s ports as potential warships since a year-long grain deal broke down, sending up world commodity prices and the UN expressing its concern about world hunger.

Aydın Sezer, a former Turkish diplomat and Ankara-based foreign policy analyst, stated that Russia’s inspection of the Palau-flagged vessel Şükrü Okan technically took place in a war zone, given warnings from Turkey and Ukraine about the boats.

Referring to Turkey’s claim to be neutral in the war despite sending armed drones and other weapons to Ukraine, Sezer said: “It is very difficult for Turkey to talk about this issue.”

TURKISH OFFICER: WE ARE REVIEWING THE RAID

Turkey has positioned itself to secure a possible peace negotiation between Ukraine and Russia. She opposed the invasion of Russia, as well as Western sanctions against Russia, and increased economic cooperation with Russia during the war.

An anonymous Turkish Defense Ministry official said Turkey was investigating the Black Sea incursion, but gave no further details.

The ship had been heading towards Romanian territorial waters since the attack, according to Refinitiv Eikon data.