Ukraine Not the Focus: Russia and Turkey Deepen Strategic Ties

Russian President Vladimir Putin received Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Moscow as part of the latter's two-day official visit. Fidan had already held talks with Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation in Istanbul, which clearly signals that the Ukrainian conflict was on the agenda. This, in turn, strongly suggests that the next round of negotiations will indeed take place in Istanbul – not in the Vatican or Switzerland, as Kyiv (and the globalists behind it) would prefer.

Photo: wikimapia by Vadim.tk, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Turkey

A key question arises: why has Moscow chosen Turkey as a mediator, given that the Ukrainian conflict is fundamentally a confrontation between Russia and the West-and Turkey, as a NATO member, can hardly be considered a neutral party? Moreover, Turkey has recently encroached upon Russian influence in Syria (which might be taken as an affront), and the two countries are also at odds in Libya. And yet, Ankara has refrained from imposing sanctions on Russia, continues to facilitate parallel imports into the Russian market, purchased the S-400 air defense system, invited Rosatom to build a nuclear power plant, helped construct the TurkStream pipeline, and is actively seeking entry into BRICS. In other words, Turkey has clearly asserted itself as a sovereign nation-and together with Russia, has cultivated a positive interdependence.

Turkey Balances Interests-And Russia Plays Along

This interdependence has become so strong that it has significantly distanced Turkey from its earlier ambition of joining the European Union. Yet Ankara seems unfazed. It understands that fostering good relations with Russia is far more valuable than the elusive "lace panties" once held up as a symbol of Western-style prosperity. Accordingly, Turkey continues to uphold the Montreux Convention in the Black Sea, which serves Russia's strategic interests as well.

Thus, Turkey carefully balances its ties between Russia and the West, aware that Kyiv lacks real decision-making autonomy and that the military situation on the ground is not trending in Ukraine's favor. At the same time, Ankara has played no small role in fragmenting the West's approach, helping render the European Union impotent in terms of sustained military and financial support for the Kyiv regime. The Turkish leadership is now minimizing its participation in globalist summits, opting instead to align more closely with Washington's restrained stance.

The terms of peace in Ukraine will shape the course of future crises-not only in the region, but globally. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hopes to go down in history as the architect of the "Istanbul Accords,” which could redraw international boundaries, much like the Yalta or Potsdam Agreements did after World War II. This is, of course, a flattering prospect for Ankara's national ego-and Moscow appears willing to indulge it.

Ukraine Is Not the Central Issue in Fidan's Visit

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Fidan is also scheduled to meet with newly appointed Defense Minister Andrei Belousov. In addition, he will hold talks with representatives of Russia's energy sector. Together with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Fidan will discuss "measures to foster a favorable environment for improved banking services and trade” between the two countries-a clear reference to efforts aimed at circumventing Western sanctions. Another key topic is the safety of Russian tourists at Turkish resorts – an implicit invitation: welcome to Turkey.

This agenda underscores that Russian-Turkish relations go far beyond mediation in the Ukraine conflict. They serve the mutual benefit of both nations. Ukraine is not the center of the world; there are many wars around the globe. For both Moscow and Ankara, the insistence on preserving the Kyiv regime as some sort of international imperative is increasingly baffling.

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Hakan Fidan (born on 17 July 1968) is a Turkish politician currently serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs since June 2023. He was previously the director of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) from March 2010 until June 2023. Fidan is seen as a possible successor to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as the leader of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the President of Turkey.