Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has gained a unique position in the global political sphere as a leading negotiator between Russia and Ukraine. As Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has dominated international concerns, President Erdogan has used his longtime friendship with the Russian President to secure discussions over vital produce exports. Ukrainian crops have been trapped in Black Sea ports by a blockade of Russian navy vessels for months, creating a critical global shortage of food supplies.
In light of this, Turkey has achieved a distinct position of power among the NATO nations in the President’s ability to utilise his existing partnership with President Putin in an effort to navigate a solution to the port occupations.
Speaking to Times Radio, Steven Erlanger, the chief diplomatic correspondent for Europe to the New York Times, offered his analysis of Turkey’s international standing.
He said: “Turkey is in a position of a lot of power right now and a lot of leverage – it has always played both sides.
“Erdogan has had a good friendship with Putin for a long time, which annoys his Washington and NATO allies.
“At the same time, Turkey is the only real mediator right now between Russia and Ukraine.”
He suggested President Erdogan has used his personal association with Vladimir Putin to mediate negotiations for exports from Ukraine.
Mr Erlanger continued: “Turkey is working very hard to try to get Ukrainian grain out of this Russian blockade to feed the world.
“Turkey was willing to let Sweden and Finland enter NATO – he’s [Erdogan] got leverage on both sides.”
However, Mr Erlanger warned that Turkey was also using the leverage it now holds in an effort to renew involvement in the Syrian conflict.
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“Turkey can’t be part of this alliance because, in a way, it’s playing both sides, but, what Turkey cares about, and this was the putative reason for this meeting to begin with, was Syria.”
While President Erdogan is expected to lobby for a solution to the Ukrainian port issue, he is also set to outline new plans for Turkish involvement in northern areas of Syria.
Mr Erlanger continued: “Erdogan wants to do a new offensive in Northern Syria and the rest of Syria is pretty much dominated by Assad, Russia and Iran.
“Part of, I think, what this meeting for Turkey is about is informing Russia and Iran what it wants to do in the Kurdish areas of Northern Syria.”
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