The tension between Ukraine and Russia keeps escalating on a daily basis. Russian troops are deployed near the shared border between the two countries and the world is worried about a possible invasion by Kremlin. Ukraine is on alert and has been urging the West to act. The United States is focused on the issue and so far none of the parties have stepped back in weeks. Russia denies that is planning an operation and argues that NATO’s support for Ukraine is the real and only threat on Russia’s western borders. Although Moscow says that it feels threatened by NATO and the U.S., Washington claims the opposite. It calls the movements and concentration of troops at the border “unusual.”
There are around 100,000 Russian troops still at the Ukrainian border despite warnings from U.S. President Joe Biden and the European leaders. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry’s latest intelligence assessment indicates that Russia has deployed more than 127,000 troops near Ukraine, including 21,000 air and sea personnel and increased its intelligence activity against Ukraine.
There have been rounds of diplomatic talks between Russia and the West; however, the tension has not subsided. The U.S. has already declared that a Russian invasion can happen at any moment.
The same scenario can be observed in Crimea as well. Russia has a huge naval base in Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.
In Ukraine, the Donbass region is pro-Russia but there is also a very strong anti-Russian pro-European sentiment proof of which can easily be witnessed in the capital Kyiv.
I was one of the journalists covering President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s official visit to Ukraine a couple of years ago and I remember very well that the biggest wall art in the capital was one that symbolized the resistance against Russia.
Those who hope to be part of the European Union and dream of freeing themselves from Moscow fear that the country will go haywire and those who are pro-Russian mostly from Russian-speaking families support Moscow's existence in the country.
But I have to remind you that Ukraine’s Orthodox Church declared its independence from Moscow four years ago and tied itself to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul, which is considered ecumenical by Orthodox Christians. The ceremony was held in Istanbul and I was invited as one of the few journalists to witness it. With the patriarchate free from Moscow, Ukraine gained more independence; however, now Russia is attempting to regain its control.
Actually, the current problems date back to 2013. Ukraine’s former, Russian-backed President Viktor Yanukovych suspended the talks with the EU at that time which caused huge protests in Kyiv. The annexation of Crimea came one year later. Then pro-Russian separatists in the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk declared their independence and clashes began. There were numerous civilian deaths in these clashes. Therefore, the crisis dates back nine years.
Turkey is the sole country that has close relations with Russia and the West. Therefore, it can talk to both sides and play a vital role. This is why Erdoğan wants to mediate between Russia and Ukraine. Turkey does not want a war close to its territories either and wants to use all its power to hinder such a possibility.
