The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine continues to deepen day by day as Russia intensifies its military attacks in the country. It is a total disaster. Last weekend, Moscow hit military production and repair sites including an armored vehicle plant in the capital Kyiv. I am not even talking about the eastern parts of the country. Mariupol, for example, is almost wiped from the map as more than 80% of the city has been totally destroyed while the exact number of civilian deaths and street battles remains unknown. Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said that "the situation in Mariupol is difficult and hard. Fighting is happening right now. The Russian army is constantly calling on additional units to storm the city.”
Things got even wilder after Kyiv announced that the Moskva missile cruiser, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea fleet, sank after it was hit by a Ukrainian missile attack. Moscow now claims that World War III has already started and that the world is worried about the possibility of a nuclear attack.
U.S. President Joe Biden accused the Russian forces of committing acts of genocide in Ukraine and blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for attempting to erase the Ukrainian identity. “It’s unacceptable,” said the Kremlin, rejecting Biden’s claims.
“Genocide” is seen as the most serious crime against humanity and is defined under international law as a “mass extermination of a particular group of people.” If the term is used, doors will open for intervention.
On the other hand, Putin seems unlikely to end the war as he says that the invasion is going as planned, however, he rarely speaks to the public now in contrast to the first days of the invasion.
In this situation, Turkey’s position as a regional player is growing according to analysts. Ukraine, which is one of Turkey's biggest defense industry partners, is defending its territory mostly with the help of the Turkish Bayraktar armed drones. However, Ankara also maintains diplomatic relations with Moscow and has not imposed sanctions as the West has against Putin. Thus, Turkey is seen as a safe haven for both sides. It is a NATO member that provides Ukraine with the most sophisticated weapons while also maintaining good relations with Russia. This position is very much needed for peace. There should be someone who can talk to both sides and this “someone” is Turkey.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government are working to put an end to the war through diplomacy and I think these efforts are very precious in such a polarized world. Unfortunately, the Cold War atmosphere is back again and it has the potential to turn it into a global hot war. In this humanitarian crisis, Turkey’s mediation efforts are the results of a well-planned policy.
Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said Turkey remains cautiously optimistic about a truce between Russia and Ukraine, adding, however, that the situation is at risk of deteriorating or becoming more complicated if the war is prolonged. Ankara’s aim is to obstruct such a risk. It works to keep channels of dialogue active and alive while serving as the communication bridge between the warring sides, which gives Turkey a unique position in this war.
