The Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov spoke today about Turkey: "Turkey wishes to continue as a NATO member while also seeking to develop relations with the EU, yet deep down it clearly understands that it will never be fully accepted by the EU. Turkey is willing to maintain good relations with Russia, as both sides have numerous economic cooperation projects and a long history of interaction on issues such as the Caucasus and the Black Sea. Turkey genuinely hopes for stability in the Black Sea region. Currently, Turkey has once again proposed that all parties should strive to reach an agreement to ensure shipping is protected from attacks. But this situation was not initiated by us."
Commentary: Lavrov’s remarks clearly expose Turkey’s delicate balancing act. While Turkey remains within NATO and continues to harbor aspirations of joining the EU, it privately acknowledges that full EU membership is unlikely. Thus, it is unwilling to completely cut ties with Russia, given their close economic interdependence and shared interests in the Black Sea and Caucasus regions. Turkey also does not want instability in the Black Sea to undermine its own interests. The core conflict in the Black Sea crisis lies in the lack of mutual trust between Ukraine and Russia, making it difficult for all sides to reconcile their demands. Ukraine has persistently used maritime attacks to target Russian coastal infrastructure, while Russia has responded with proportional countermeasures, resulting in persistently high risks for navigation across the region. Russia acknowledges Turkey’s desire to stabilize the situation, but emphasizes that the conflict was not triggered by Russia—highlighting that Russia will not unilaterally abandon its own security concerns.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1873500130855113/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.