He leads a country located in both Europe and Asia and is on speaking terms with both Putin and Zelenskyj. Therefore, Erdogan’s role in the war in Ukraine cannot be exaggerated. – With the exception of Zelenskyj, Putin and Biden, there is no one who is a more important player in this conflict than Erdogan, says specialist for foreign affairs in VG Nilas Johnsen. He has written the book Erdogan – Turkey’s new sultan. – After the conversation with Putin yesterday, Russian Defense Minister Shoigu called our Defense Minister Hulusi Akar to say that grain shipments will continue as previously planned from 12 o’clock today, Erdogan said. Photo: HANDOUT / AFP Grain export from Ukraine Today it became clear that Russia will again allow Ukrainian ships to sail on the Black Sea. Ukrainian wheat, corn and sunflower oil are essential for the world’s food supply. It had enormous consequences as the hostilities prevented food exports from Europe’s grain stores. The deal that allowed grain ships to leave Ukrainian Black Sea ports has been a feather in Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s cap. Therefore, Erdogan had talks with both Putin and Zelenskyj after Russia said on Saturday that they were withdrawing from the agreement. The justification was an attack with drones against the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol on the Russian-controlled Crimean peninsula. – After the conversation with Putin yesterday, Russian Defense Minister Shoigu called our Defense Minister Hulusi Akar to say that grain shipments will continue as previously planned from 12 o’clock today, Erdogan said. Zelenskyj thanks Erdogan Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj thanked Erdogan on Wednesday for the role he has played in preserving the grain agreement with Russia. In a Twitter message, Zelenskyj writes that he spoke with Erdogan on the phone on Wednesday and thanked him for actively participating in saving the agreement. The deal that allowed grain ships to leave Ukrainian Black Sea ports has been a feather in Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s cap. Photo: Hassan Ammar / AP The ships that sail out of Ukraine have to pass through the Turkish Bosphorus Strait. Turkey is thus strategically placed in this matter. Erdogan’s role in negotiating the agreement between Russia and Ukraine makes him a more important party in this conflict. – The fact that grain exports can resume only gives Turkey more influence, says Nilas Johnsen. Gas to Europe Despite the war and the sanctions against Russia, many European countries are still dependent on Russian gas. Putin wants to export gas to Europe through Turkey. This week, the Russian president said that he wants to establish a gas plant there. – This is a realistic project, and can be resolved quickly … I have no doubt that there are many in Europe who want this, Putin said in a televised speech on Monday. After the sabotage against the gas pipelines Nord Stream 1 and 2 in September, much of the gas supply from Russia and Europe has stopped. Before the war, 40 percent of the gas in Europe came from Russia. – President Erdogan is a man who keeps his word … and it will be easier for us to control the Black Sea, Putin said, according to the Reuters news agency. Photo: ALEXEY DRUZHININ / AFP In 2017, an agreement was signed on the export of Russian gas to Turkey. TurkStream is a pipeline from Krasnodar, which runs under the Black Sea to Turkey. Currently, it only transports gas to Turkey and Serbia, but this could be expanded. – This is an attempt to split NATO and the EU through energy supply. Turkey has a mildly controversial role in NATO and a complicated relationship with the EU, says Brian Vad Mathiesen, professor of energy planning at Aalborg University to Danmarks Radio. The Russians want to build a gas plant in Turkey that can eventually export gas to Europe. – It is easier for us to work with Turkey. President Erdogan is a man who keeps his word … and it will be easier for us to control the Black Sea, Putin said, according to the Reuters news agency. Shutting Sweden and Finland out In addition to being a man that Putin trusts, Erdogan is also the leader of a NATO country. And by virtue of that, Erdogan has blocked Sweden and Finland’s membership applications. – Sweden has been a cradle of terrorism. And the terrorists have infiltrated all the way into their National Assembly, Erdogan said in an interview with PBS, a public American television channel, in September. Tomorrow, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg will travel to Turkey and will have meetings with Erdogan on Friday. Sweden and Finland are guaranteed to be on the agenda Photo: Bernat Armangue / AP During the NATO summit in June, it appeared that Erdogan would agree to let Sweden and Finland become members of the defense alliance. Then he changed his mind. Tomorrow, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg will travel to Turkey and will have meetings with Erdogan on Friday. Sweden and Finland are guaranteed to be on the agenda Erdogan has made a number of demands to approve the two countries’ NATO applications, including that Sweden hand over a number of people the Turkish authorities believe are associated with Kurdish organizations and the Gülen movement. – Turkey is strategically important and has NATO’s second largest army. It is important to have the country on the team. This is something Erdogan is aware of and exploits in relation to NATO’s expansion to the north, says Nilas Johnsen. – There is something Erdogan is aware of when he makes demands against Sweden and Finland, both in terms of the sale of weapons to Turkey and the ban on Kurdish parties, says Nilas Johnsen Photo: news He believes that Erdogan is aware of his importance when he makes demands on Sweden and Finland. – This is something Erdogan is aware of when he makes demands against Sweden and Finland, both in terms of the sale of weapons to Turkey and the ban on Kurdish parties. Friend of Putin and of Zelenskyj While Putin threatens NATO with nuclear weapons and NATO countries help Ukraine with weapons and training, Erdogan tries to be on good terms with both parties. Erdogan is not only a friend of Russia, he is also a friend of Ukraine, which we saw when Turkey sold drone weapons to Ukraine earlier this year. Photo: HANDOUT / AFP – It is a difficult balancing act that Erdogan has managed for a long time. Also before the conflict in Ukraine when Turkey bought Russian-made S400 missile shields. According to Johnsen, this friendship with Russia has had a cost for Turkey. Among other things, the country was not allowed to participate in the collaboration on the purchase of the F35 Joint Strike Fighter. Erdogan is not only a friend of Russia, he is also a friend of Ukraine, which we saw when Turkey sold drone weapons to Ukraine earlier this year. – Our aim is to organize a meeting between the two heads of state. The whole world is paying the price for this conflict, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said in September, according to Turkish media. The only talks that have taken place between the parties since the conflict began took place on Turkish soil. – As a friend of Russia and Ukraine and as a NATO member, Erdogan believes that he is best placed to be a mediator in this conflict, says Johnsen.
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Turkey’s powerful Erdogan is helping to control the development of the war – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
