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After President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took office more than two years ago, his risky actions distracted him from a closer alliance with the West. Turkey has moved closer to Moscow, alienating and confronting other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Recent events are forcing Turkey to reconsider its plans, sources say.
Ankara’s interests are increasingly at odds with those of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Russia and Turkey were on opposite sides before the ceasefire in the Libyan war, and the Syrian conflict pursues different goals.
Furthermore, Turkey has invaded Russia’s “backyard” in the Caucasus, supporting Azerbaijan in a 44-day war with Armenian forces for Nagorno-Karabakh.
And then there is the United States, where President Donald Trump leaves the White House, even after declaring his personal sympathies for RT Erdogan during disagreements. Meanwhile, European leaders intend to consider punishing Turkey for its unilateral search for energy sources in disputed Mediterranean waters at a meeting of the European Union beginning on December 10.
The sanctions would undermine Turkey’s economic recovery from the limitations of the pandemic, just weeks after a new team of senior officials began trying to strengthen the collapsing currency.
RT Erdogan seems determined to run. “We have no claims on any country or institution that cannot be resolved through policy, dialogue or negotiations,” he said on Sunday, calling on the EU to help overcome obstacles to Turkey’s attempt to join the bloc and comply with the customs agreements and visa-free travel.
“We express the same wish in our relations with our ally America,” he added.
Officials have hinted that Turkey will cut its purchased and tested Russian air defense missiles, the S-400, from NATO systems to avoid punishment from the United States. RT Erdogan sent his envoy to Brussels to try to reduce tensions with the EU.
However, repairing ties, which have also been damaged by Western support for Kurdish militants in Syria and US accusations against Turkey’s main bank of breaching sanctions, will not be so easy.
In December last year, Biden ridiculed RT Erdogan as an autocrat and promised to support his internal opposition, and Ankara’s military cooperation with Russia sparked outrage from NATO: the organization can be expected to re-admit Turkey only after of difficult negotiations.
Turkish gas exploration in the Mediterranean has outraged Greece and Cyprus. Furthermore, RT Erdogan has quarreled with French President Emmanuel Macron over the latter’s comments on Islam.
D. Shortly after Russia’s missile deal, Turkey suspended its involvement in the development of the F-35 fighter, but Congress is calling for even tougher sanctions. It is considering legislation that would force the president to impose sanctions on Turkey for its military flirtation with Moscow.
According to sources, Ankara hopes that Biden’s faith in multinational institutions and transatlantic ties will help it reconcile with NATO partners and increase the likelihood of long-planned arms deals.
According to sources, Turkey’s footprint in the Middle East war zones would increase the Alliance’s ability to control Russian expansion.
Turkey wants to further develop its defense industry by producing tanks, missiles and military aircraft together with NATO allies. According to the sources, he asks Canada to lift the export ban on some drone technologies and wants France to accept joint production of Eurosam missiles.
According to them, Russia has yet to live up to expectations of transferring the technology used in the advanced S-400 or starting joint production. Similar demands from Turkey have frustrated its efforts to acquire American Patriot missiles.
RT Erdogan spoke by phone with Saudi monarch Salman bin Abdulaziz, expressing his desire to repair ties with the kingdom, the sources said.
Relations between the states nearly collapsed when Saudi agents in 2018 killed Washington Post observer Yamal Khashoggi, a harsh critic of the Gulf kingdom, at the Istanbul consulate.
Turkey, which has indicted two top advisers to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on a murder warrant, has done its best to investigate the murder, but now is the time to focus on reciprocal issues, the sources said.
Surveys in Riyadh stores have shown that the unofficial boycott of Turkish products announced by the Saudi authorities is gradually decreasing.
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