Erdogan
Putin
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Birds of a feather, Recep Erdogan and Vladimir Putin, at some time flocked together. Both rule over authoritarian regimes with a one-party system. Both dominate their respective countries’ politics. Both are opportunists, and responsible for rampant human rights violations. Putin leans heavily on the Russian Orthodox Church and Erdogan is becoming increasingly more Islamist. Both have strong anti-western tendencies. In addition, both their countries have “great power” dreams. Turkey yearns for the days of the Ottoman Empire and Russia cannot forget the glories of the Soviet Union.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Moscow and Ankara developed good trade relations. Russia was Turkey’s energy provider, and Russian tourists visited Turkey in great masses. Putin’s supporters see him as a challenge to the U.S. hegemony and influence in the world. Erdogan is perceived as a strong Muslim Sunni leader and the only one who can put an end to Iran’s Shia ambitions in the Middle East.
This mutually advantageous alliance held for a while. Then came an abrupt halt when, in November 2015 a Turkish combat aircraft shot down a Russian Su-24 close to the Turkish Syrian border. After the shooting Russian foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it would seriously reevaluate its relationship with Turkey and matters deteriorated rapidly. Erdogan’s trip to Russia was cancelled. Ankara claimed that Russia had repeatedly violated its airspace. At the height of the crisis Putin said: “Allah decided to punish the ruling clique in Turkey by depriving them of reason and common sense. They will regret again and again what they have done.”
Trade relations broke down and Russian guided tours to Turkey were cancelled. Russia banned import of Turkish fruit, vegetables and poultry. Each side accused the other of backing terrorism.
The two leaders were snarling at each other and behaved like two angry football fans arguing about whose team was better. Erdogan blinked. In June he apologized for the downing of the Russian warplane and offered compensation to the dead pilot’s family.
Why the sudden reversal? This spat was not advantageous to either side. Turkey was losing the struggle against Russia which is gaining more ground in Syria. Turkey felt increasingly isolated and needed to build bridges; its economy is weakening. Turkey is also suffering from the flow of migrants into its territory and from increasing terrorist attacks.
The Turks realize they need to get over their obsession with the Kurdish minority and their brooding over the reluctance of the European Union to accept Turkey into the European family. Russia, meanwhile, is hoping to use Turkey again as its conduit for gas into Europe.
Interestingly at the same time, Russia and Turkey are now repairing their relations with Israel and Egypt because they both feel vulnerable and both have ambitions in the Middle East. The increase of Jihadist attacks also requires more cooperation by everyone concerned.
Appreciate your pulling this all together. Understand it much better now.
Thank goodness we have you to explain that which is going on in these twisted alliances, dear Simone. In my opinion, you should have your own radio/television commentary show!
A clear vision. Russians will always follow their leaders, no matter what. Stalin is still a hero. Miss-information rules. A big part of Russia is third world and extremely poor.
Turkey holds a key. Erdogan is a peddlar, unable to come to terms with the Kurdish. A tragic ruler.
Absolute simplistic piffle..
From Steve Ford who is also a childhood friend of the editor:
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if apologies and reparations for past wrongs were instead sincere efforts to address the causes of their actions and make genuine attempts at making lasting peace? Then we might globally confront the issue of our species’ overpopulation…and the possibility of avoiding extinction.
Editor’s Note.
A follow-up comment from Steve Ford
re: apologies and reparations. It’s nice to say you’re sorry, but actually being sorry and changing your ways is what’s needed. The solution to over population
requires international cooperation. We’re still squabbling the same way we have for hundreds of years and we know so much better now. James Baldwin said that people find it very hard to act on what they know is right. We’re a long way from acting on what’s right.
A good article for me to learn both English and modern world politics 🙂 Thanks
fascinating! i didn’t really understand how that relationship had played out, interesting stuff.
And now, such new and more interesting from Turkey! What tumult.
Turkish President is not authoritarian. He is strong and powerfull, so EU and USA are afraid of him.
Actually, there is no need for Russia to “repair” its relationship with Israel. It has always been good enough, given that every fifth Israeli citizen speaks Russian and every fourth understands it. Just for you to contemplate: there are 7 sinagogues in Moscow for 100,000 Jews and only 4 mosques for 2 million Muslims residing in Moscow. So judge for yourself.
Thank you for pointing this out. You are right of course
One also needs to look at the which other of the so called “greats” are in bed together. Putin was head of “security” in East Germany when Merkel was head of the students union; who uses who to do what?
Erdogan is a disappointment — only because we thought he was better. Ultimately, dictators depend on the people and Turks are more mature, worldly and ethical than the Russians. I know, it’s a generalisation; but it is generally true.