Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, President of the Republic of Turkey, has a strong affinity with Putin at the point of domestic governance based on tyranny, but as a NATO member, he is also very strong at the point of cooperation with the West.
On the last Sep. 30th, Republic of Türkiye "Ministry of Foreign Affairs" (Hereafter abbreviated as MOFA "MoFA") issued a statement, on Russia's Annexation of Some Regions of UKRAINE.
This is important in determining Turkey's military-political position vis-à-vis Russia.
★Republic of Türkiye MoFA (2022) "No: 300, 30 September 2022, Press Release Regarding Russia’s Annexation of Some Regions of Ukraine", Website of Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs (https://www.mfa.gov.tr/no_-300_-rusya-nin-ukrayna-nin-bazi-bolgelerini-ilhaki-hk.en.mfa).
Since this is a short statement, it is reproduced in full below (ibid.).
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Türkiye did not recognize Russia’s #annexation of Crimea in an illegitimate referendum in 2014 and has emphasized its strong support to Ukraine’s territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty on every occasion.
In accordance with this stance adopted in 2014, we reject Russia’s decision to annex the Donetsk, Luhansk, #Herson and Zaphorizhia regions of Ukraine.
This decision, which constitutes a grave violation of the established principles of international law, cannot be accepted.
We reiterate our support to the resolution of this war, the severity of which keeps growing, based on a just peace that will be reached through negotiations.
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The day before the statement was issued, an article in the Ukrainian Non-Profit Free-Press Foundation, "Kyiv Post" reported the following regarding #Erdoğan's response to Russia and Putin and his statements (Beecher 2022).
★Jay Beecher (Sept. 30th, 2022 at 11:03 am) "Turkish President Urges Putin to Give Talks With Ukraine Another Chance", Kyiv Post
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In a telephone call to Vladimir #Putin on Thursday, Sep. 29, President Erdogan urged the Russian president to reconsider negotiations with Kyiv to end the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
As reported by the Turkish President’s office, Erdogan said that for tensions to be de-escalated, “steps – particularly as regards the incorporation of various Ukrainian areas into Russia – are expected of Moscow in a bid to facilitate the process.”
Erdogan, however, did not condemn the sham referendums that took place recently in Russian-occupied areas of eastern Ukraine, nor criticize the planned annexation of these four territories into Russia.
“Of course, Zelensky wants our support on these four regions, and he wants us to meet with Mr. Putin and discuss the issue. Let’s see what happens,” #Erdogan said previously in an interview on Wednesday, Sep. 28.
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The President Erdoğan, who has been showing his lack of commitment to Ukraine by providing "Bayraktar" to Ukraine through "Baykar" Corporation and actively expressing his opinions to Putin, seems to have finally made up his mind to side with Ukraine.
The EurAsian Times also reported on September 27 that Baker is ready to provide "Bayraktar" to Japan, where the Russian threat looms, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (Dangwal 2022).
★Ashish Dangwal (September 27, 2022) "Turkey Ready To Offer Bayraktar TB-2 Drones To Japan; Malaysia, Indonesia Also Keen To Buy ‘Tank Buster’ UAVs", The EurAsian Times
(https://eurasiantimes.com/turkey-offer-bayraktar-drones-to-japan-malaysia-indonesia/).
The next focus will be on the attitude of countries such as #India that pose as neutral and do not declare sides with either #Ukraine or #Russia.
#StandWithUkraine.
#RecepTayyipErdoğan.