Turkey and Russia have entered a new phase of relations that will have a direct impact on regional dynamics and the world, and will not be pitted against each other, according to a Russian analyst and adviser to President Vladimir Putin.
Dr. Aleksandr Dugin told the Türkiye daily that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Putin drew a roadmap for the future as they highlighted their red lines in the meeting that took place in Sochi on Sept. 29. He noted that the two countries would not face off in terms of a military dispute or economic problems, according to the report published Monday.
“Russia supports Turkey’s Blue Homeland doctrine ... It supports Turkey’s empowerment in this regard,” Dugin said.
Dugin foresaw that the United States will withdraw from Syria in a phased manner but will not refrain from “creating crises.” At this point, Turkey, Russia and Iran’s stance will be the determining factor, according to Dugin.
He also claimed that the U.S. provokes YPG terrorists, the PKK’s Syrian offshoot, in northern Syria and that other terrorist groups such as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Idlib are also influenced by the U.S.
“The U.S. provokes the field by using third parties. The sole formula to end U.S. power in Syria could be ensured by cooperation among Turkey, Russia and Iran,” Dugin said.
Regarding the issue of Crimea, Dugin said it was one of the most contented topics between the two leaders at Sochi.
“It is not possible for Russia to make any concessions in this regard,” he said, adding that Russia considers Crimea as its own land. He continued by saying that if Turkey changes its position on Crimea, Russia might recognize the sovereignty of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Military tensions between Ukraine and Russia have been high since the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula by Russia in 2014.
Turkey, along with the rest of NATO, criticized Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea and voiced support for Ukraine's territorial integrity as Kyiv's forces battle pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
