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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers his speech at the Albanian Parliament, in Tirana, Albania, January 17, 2022 REUTERS/Florion Goga/File Photo
- Ankara balancing ties with Moscow, Kyiv, NATO
- Risks Russian energy imports, trade, tourism
- Erdogan called Russian move 'unacceptable'
Turkey is in a unique bind: it has good ties with both Ukraine and Russia, but also opposes sanctions in principle, just as the West is poised to slap them on Moscow as long promised.
The crisis leaves President Tayyip Erdogan balancing those diplomatic relations along with his duties within NATO, while also protecting Turkey's beleaguered economy from back-to-back shocks after a currency crisis in December.
Any step too far against Moscow, and Ankara risks upsetting important Russian energy supplies, trade and tourism, analysts say.
"It is the prospect of a prolonged bloodless conflict or substantive sanctions on Russia's energy exports that could hurt Turkey deeply (and threaten) economic stability," said Atilla Yesilada, Istanbul-based analyst at GlobalSource Partners.
Striking the balance Turkey employed for decades, Erdogan often highlights his friendship with Putin but has warned Russia against an invasion and offered to mediate the crisis. He has also criticised the West's handling of things as a hindrance to peace. read more
On Tuesday, Turkey called Russia's recognition of Ukraine's separatists an unacceptable violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity. Ergodan - who visited Kyiv this month - rejected it and called on parties to respect international laws, likely his sharpest language towards Moscow since a crisis over Turkey's downing of a Russian jet near Turkey's Syrian border in 2015.
Erdogan and Putin have since warmed and Turkey bought Russian missile defences in 2019, which prompted U.S. anger and sanctions. Since then, Ankara has opposed sanctions against any country.
NATO member Turkey, opposed to sanctions, in bind over Ukraine
When Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his decision to recognise two breakaway regions in east Ukraine as independent, NATO member and Black Sea neighbour Turkey swiftly criticised the move, but stopped short of announcing any punitive measures.
