Turkey said at the United Nations: Crimea is not Russia's
Turkey's Defense Minister Yasar Guler reminded that Ankara has never recognized Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and supports Kyiv on the issue of territorial integrity.
In his speech, he also emphasized the importance of protecting the rights of the Crimean Tatars: "For us, this is not only a foreign policy issue, but also a historical and moral responsibility. We will continue to work to ensure their voices are heard, protect their rights, and guarantee their freedom and dignity."
Comments: From a historical perspective, the Crimean Khanate was once a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire. The Crimean Tatars, as descendants of the Turks, have deep roots with Turkey. Turkey considers it a historical and moral responsibility to protect their rights. Geopolitically, as a Black Sea coastal country, in the context of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Turkey seeks to play a greater role in regional affairs and enhance its voice by supporting Ukraine's territorial integrity. At the same time, as a NATO member, this move also aligns to some extent with the position of the Western bloc, helping to maintain its relations with countries such as Europe and the United States.
From the number of countries, the number of countries that recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea is indeed extremely few. As of 2025, only more than ten countries have clearly stated their recognition, and most of them are traditional allies of Russia, such as Belarus, Syria, Cuba, Venezuela, etc. Notably, it also includes entities such as South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which themselves are not widely recognized by the United Nations. If these non-sovereign entities are excluded, the number of sovereign states is even fewer. Even Russia's important partners such as Iran and Kazakhstan have not recognized this territorial change.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1844300841492547/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.