Turkey mends ties with Russia

Turkey mends ties with Russia

Dr. Jassim Taqui

In a historic strategic change, the meeting between the Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan produced the unexpected. The two countries agreed to rebuild a damaged economic relationship. They also agreed to work together to find a peaceful settlement to the Syrian civil war.

The relations were strained when Turkey shot down a Russian plane over Syria in November, 2015. However, the Russian intelligence was behind unveiling a US-supported coup against Erdogan on 15^th July, 2016.

The two countries also agreed on reviving Turkish Stream pipeline, a multi-billion structure that will transit Russian gas to Europe.

Russia also signed a contract to build Turkey’s first nuclear power plant at Akkuyu in 2010, worth $20 billion.

 There are speculations that Turkey would withdraw from the US-dominated NATO since Erdogan found out that the former commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, retired US Army General John F. Campbell, was the mastermind behind the failed military coup in Turkey.

Ostensibly, Turkey gave up becoming a member in the European Union due to the harsh conditions attached to such a membership.

Instead, Erdogan is planning to strengthen economic relations with Russia.

Moscow has also agreed to transfer nuclear technology to  Turkey for peaceful purposes.

The rapprochement between Ankara and Moscow is a bad news for the NATO and the Obama administration. Given the fact that the Cold War II is gaining momentum between Russia and the United States, Erdogan is not yet safe. His adversaries might scheme another plan to get rid of him.

Erdogan over-reacted on the failed coup attempt. He introduced massive change in the system; creating enemies for him everywhere in Turkey.