Turkey has once again demonstrated its strategic position in the Russia-Ukraine war, former Italian Ambassador to Turkey Carlo Marsili said, indicating that the West often forgets this reality.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Marsili recalled that Turkey has hosted the warring sides two times and that "Turkey has managed this crisis amid these conditions quite well by making unique but correct moves."
Marsili pointed to Turkey's political, economic, trade and military relations with both Kyiv and Moscow and said: "In fact, this allowed Turkey to act as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia. It is obvious that someone looking to mediate between two conflicting sides, cannot openly declare its support for either. Therefore it is necessary to adopt a balanced stance."
The former envoy indicated that both countries trust Turkey and therefore Russian and Ukrainian ministers were able to gather under one roof last month while delegations from the countries met last week in Istanbul.
Ankara hosted the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine in Antalya last month. Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov of Russia and Dmytro Kuleba of Ukraine met in the Turkish resort town of Antalya for talks, which Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also attended. The talks were largely inconclusive, but Ankara considers the fact that they took place at all a success. Following these talks, the negotiation committees of the two countries came together in Istanbul.
'Turkey has regained its global image'
Underlining that war is not desirable, Marsili said, "Turkey once again demonstrated its strategic significance" and added that it also played a pivotal role in Syria, Afghanistan and the Balkans.
"What is important is that NATO recognizes Turkey's value as its member. The war in Ukraine has once again shown how important it is that Turkey is a member of the alliance," he explained.
Marsili highlighted Turkey's complex geographical position – surrounded by countries facing multiple challenges – put it in a position where it has to act differently from other countries that are not facing such problems. He added that the West should make use of Turkey’s location in the Atlantic alliance.
Maintaining its neutral and balanced stance, Turkey continues its diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the Ukraine conflict, urging all sides to exercise restraint. While Ankara has opposed international sanctions designed to isolate Moscow, it also closed its straits to prevent some Russian vessels from crossing through them.
NATO ally Turkey borders Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea and has good ties with both. Since the beginning of the conflict, Ankara has offered to mediate between the two sides and host peace talks, underlining its support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Having called Russia’s invasion an unacceptable violation of international law, Turkey has carefully formulated its rhetoric not to offend Moscow, with which it has close energy, defense and tourism ties.
While forging close ties with Russia in a number of areas and relying heavily on Russian tourists, Turkey has sold drones to Ukraine, which angered Moscow. Turkey also opposes Russian policies in Syria and Libya, as well as Moscow's annexation of Crimea. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly said Turkey will not abandon its relations with Russia or Ukraine, underlining that Ankara's ability to speak to both sides is an asset.
Eastern Mediterranean energy
Speaking on the energy crisis that the West is facing following the Ukraine-Russia war and the sanctions on Moscow, Marsili emphasized the need to diversify its energy sources.
"I believe that Turkey must be included in all energy exploration projects in the Eastern Mediterranean because, first of all, it is a country in the Eastern Mediterranean and has the right to it," he said.
He also hailed Turkey's steps toward normalization with Israel, another Eastern Mediterranean country, saying that restoring ties with Egypt in a similar way is also significant.
On the Cyprus question, which is at the heart of the Eastern Mediterranean dispute, Marsili said: "As we know, the Cyprus problem casts a shadow on all these issues. I believe that sooner or later we have to agree on a solution to the Cyprus problem that will take into account the reality that there are two communities, two different state structures and that one of them cannot be ignored."
While Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration support a federation on the island, Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) insist on a two-state solution that reflects the realities.
The island of Cyprus has been mired in a decadeslong struggle between the Turkish and Greek Cypriots, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the United Nations to achieve a comprehensive settlement.
The island has been divided since 1964 when ethnic attacks forced the Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety. In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aiming at Greece's annexation led to Turkey's military intervention as a guarantor power. The TRNC was founded in 1983.
The Greek Cypriot administration, backed by Greece, became a member of the European Union in 2004, despite most Greek Cypriots rejecting a U.N. settlement plan in a referendum that year, which had envisaged a reunited Cyprus joining the EU.