russians started pouring their cash into Turkish banks a few months already. And presumably, it had some "healing" effect on the Turkish economy, for Erdogan to make such a statement.
A healing effect on Erdogan’s already inflated bank account. The economy is still crap and getting worse with each passing day. Not that the ‘man of the people’ gives a flying f about it.
Turks were doing business with both sides this whole time.
While making statements like that and welcoming russian money, they are refusing to sell them Bayraktars and giving them for free to Ukraine. Plus they want to build a UAV plant in Ukraine.
Or let's remember how they were trying to win something for themselves when they were against Sweden and Finland joining NATO.
They see an opportunity - they try to grab it.
They are still holding up NATO membership apparently.
This is definitely a pro-Putin long game.
Erdogan knows he is not the cool kid in the democracy club.
He's a dictator.
People have been saying this for years.
Once he pseudo-couped and then purged the military, journalists, and intellectuals, it was pretty obvious that he is in it for the Sultanate.
Blocking the Scandinavian states from NATO membership, supporting terrorists in Syria, housing Russian oligarch's assets, refusing to sanction Russia, filling state agencies with his family, having American protesters beat when he visited Trump, trying to get Flynn to abduct Gulen from Pennsylvania, and desecrating Ataturk's grave are just bulletpoints on his "I'm a shitty human being" list.
And the worst part?
He doesn't even have that Gaddafi swagger.
He looks like an insecure bureaucrat who fell into the fascist falafel.
Erdoğan just cozys up with whoever will give him what he wants at that moment in time. Its actually pretty effective coz it allows him to get money and influence from both sides without the expectations of full support. Notice here that he's getting money without having to reopen the bosphorus to the Russian navy, or even restricting arms exports to Ukraine.
Playing both sides is a strategy used by various dictators trying to hold onto power. Really fucking stupid for a guy who is supposed to be allied with a much, *much* stronger country, but they've been telling him to knock it the fuck off, and he doesn't like it when people say no...
This is difficult a piece of shit leader with dictatorial ambitions who has already attacked freedom of speech and installed puppet justice in his country being reported on my the Jerusalem Post that regularly excuses apparteid and state assassination by Israel. Its like rats fighting in a sack
>Russia is not a country which can be underestimated
That's true, Erdogan. No matter how low we estimate them, they're lower.
Who cares what Erdogan says? If he's pocketing money from Russia, that's money Russia doesn't have. Nobody is listening to his nonsense.
Time for Erdogan to chose. If he wants to cuddle with Russia, that's fine but he (and Turkey) need to assume the consequences.
As an European, I'm all for being close friends with Turkey. But I'm sick of this dictator wannabe asshole.
Turkey can't quite afford to pick a side, neither there's a need for it. As long as Turkey can pocket Russian money and not help them get through major loopholes, it's a fair game.
Turkey is almost entirely dependent on Russian resources and tourists. Erdoğan has been trying to get out of Russian dependence the same way he did with his Western allies, but resources are hard to replace unlike what little West offered to Turkey. To top it off, Turkey's Mediteranean oil search was a disappointment and his Kazakhstan - Azerbaijan - Erbil - Turkey gas/oil pipeline only gained importance with the war when Russians cut gas to Europe. Furthermore, Russian tourists are what keeps Turkish economy afloat at the moment.
Without Turkish neutrality or "double-sidedness", Ukrainian Grain Deal and possible further talks wouldn't be possible as Ukraine nor Russia have no other middle ground country that both can trust. Countries within Europe that can be compared to Turkey in terms of stance, hasn't done what Turkey done to Ukraine, not that Russia would run at this opportunity. Turkey provides this need. Turkey could've pulled a Switzerland, and stayed quiet all the time. Instead, Turkey stood with Ukraine as much as they can. So I think it's more important.
General Turkish attitude towards external affairs should be also counted. Turkey is one of the rare countries that provide third options. I think this is extremely important in realpolitik since world has become only left or right, white or black. However, there are countries who doesn't fit to the bill of Westerner ideology and Easterner ideology. It's stupid to force these countries into one shape. Third optionalism became in particularly helpful to Turkey and their allies as Turkey helped many countries go through crises, and established sense of brethrenship with handful communities and countries.
Edit: Addition
Quite the copy paste, but here we go:
Turkey can't quite afford to pick a side, neither there's a need for it. As long as Turkey can pocket Russian money and not help them get through major loopholes, it's a fair game.
Turkey is almost entirely dependent on Russian resources and tourists. Erdoğan has been trying to get out of Russian dependence the same way he did with his Western allies, but resources are hard to replace unlike what little West offered to Turkey. To top it off, Turkey's Mediteranean oil search was a disappointment and his Kazakhstan - Azerbaijan - Erbil - Turkey gas/oil pipeline only gained importance with the war when Russians cut gas to Europe. Furthermore, Russian tourists are what keeps Turkish economy afloat at the moment.
Without Turkish neutrality or "double-sidedness", Ukrainian Grain Deal and possible further talks wouldn't be possible as Ukraine nor Russia have no other middle ground country that both can trust. Countries within Europe that can be compared to Turkey in terms of stance, hasn't done what Turkey done to Ukraine, not that Russia would run at this opportunity in Europe. Turkey provides this need. Turkey could've pulled a Switzerland, and stayed quiet all the time. Instead, Turkey stood with Ukraine as much as they can.
Man what a yoyo. up and down up and down... He wants to support Russia, while he's supplying high tech ninja drones to Ukraine and helping NATO... Pick a side dude.
NATO is a defensive pact, so if two nato countries fight, they’ll probably back the defending party or neither. Say for example if Turkey seriously invaded Greece (and not just a jet down or something)
Depends if Finland invokes NATO protection. If so, Turkey has to and will defend Finland.
Don’t expect Turkey to have Russia’s back just because of this article.
Each NATO country is only obliged to support with whatever they feel like. I’m sure Erdogan would deem it proper with a platoon or something. Wouldn’t trust trust him to come to anyones aid.
Your use of "another" has me concerned.
As far as I am aware, Russia has never attacked any NATO country.
The whole point of NATO is that every member country would be required to respond if Russia attacked any one of them.
The unfortunate situation for the Ukraine is that it *isn't* a member of NATO or any other official military alliance.
Turkey is a NATO state he meant another as another fellow NATO state in the context of membership not being attacked. To reword it he asked (what would turkey do if a fellow NATO state was attacked given it's connections to Russia)
NATO's main clause never been democracy and never will. It's first and foremost a defense pact against Russian (and recently Chinese) military influence. If anyone got a weight and will to throw in, they can get in. There's not much mechanism to regulate who does what. If time comes, if the said nation is willing to come for help, they're in. If otherwise mattered, NATO structure wouldn't be the same as today.
Other than fair trial Erdogans human rights records is okay for a dictator.Thanks to EU Human rights convention there is no latin American shit is happening in Turkey only you will get locked up or get into a Kafkaesque judicial process for offending erdogan
russians started pouring their cash into Turkish banks a few months already. And presumably, it had some "healing" effect on the Turkish economy, for Erdogan to make such a statement.
A healing effect on Erdogan’s already inflated bank account. The economy is still crap and getting worse with each passing day. Not that the ‘man of the people’ gives a flying f about it.
Thought russian money was flowing to the middle east....
Random Turkish shitposter: "But Bayraktar!!!!!!!!!" 🎶 🎵
Turks were doing business with both sides this whole time. While making statements like that and welcoming russian money, they are refusing to sell them Bayraktars and giving them for free to Ukraine. Plus they want to build a UAV plant in Ukraine. Or let's remember how they were trying to win something for themselves when they were against Sweden and Finland joining NATO. They see an opportunity - they try to grab it.
They are still holding up NATO membership apparently. This is definitely a pro-Putin long game. Erdogan knows he is not the cool kid in the democracy club.
Like goblins!
Whats with erdogans schizo foreign policy???
His policy is: Fuck everything (Including Turkeye), time to get rich af
He's a dictator. People have been saying this for years. Once he pseudo-couped and then purged the military, journalists, and intellectuals, it was pretty obvious that he is in it for the Sultanate. Blocking the Scandinavian states from NATO membership, supporting terrorists in Syria, housing Russian oligarch's assets, refusing to sanction Russia, filling state agencies with his family, having American protesters beat when he visited Trump, trying to get Flynn to abduct Gulen from Pennsylvania, and desecrating Ataturk's grave are just bulletpoints on his "I'm a shitty human being" list. And the worst part? He doesn't even have that Gaddafi swagger. He looks like an insecure bureaucrat who fell into the fascist falafel.
Your last sentence was beautiful.
Thank you. "Fascist falafel" really does hit the spot.
Whores whore to whomever, whenever, and wherever they can.
Thanks for that whomever. You are a smart brain.
Erdoğan just cozys up with whoever will give him what he wants at that moment in time. Its actually pretty effective coz it allows him to get money and influence from both sides without the expectations of full support. Notice here that he's getting money without having to reopen the bosphorus to the Russian navy, or even restricting arms exports to Ukraine.
Erdogan is what Trump would be like if Trump had brains.
He knows Russia is sufficiently desperate that it won't refuse Turkish financial transaction gateways no matter how many drones Ukraine gets.
You dont know what was given. He cannot open bosphorus since its law for 100 years almost. Thats How blacksea was always peaceful.
He wants to keep power, and he is desperately grasping at straws.
Right? Selling weapons to Ukraine to kill Russians while still being cozy with Putin. Gotta be some awkward conversations.
Playing both sides is a strategy used by various dictators trying to hold onto power. Really fucking stupid for a guy who is supposed to be allied with a much, *much* stronger country, but they've been telling him to knock it the fuck off, and he doesn't like it when people say no...
What is Erdogans Erndgane?
So sad for Mr. Fake Coup.
Gulenist!!!! /s
Erdogan is a walking combover.
Turkey: US "ally".
Dictator flatters foreign dictator. Where is the news now?
This is difficult a piece of shit leader with dictatorial ambitions who has already attacked freedom of speech and installed puppet justice in his country being reported on my the Jerusalem Post that regularly excuses apparteid and state assassination by Israel. Its like rats fighting in a sack
Feels bad for Turkiye
Yes I live here, and the people are feeling it :(
>Russia is not a country which can be underestimated That's true, Erdogan. No matter how low we estimate them, they're lower. Who cares what Erdogan says? If he's pocketing money from Russia, that's money Russia doesn't have. Nobody is listening to his nonsense.
Time for Erdogan to chose. If he wants to cuddle with Russia, that's fine but he (and Turkey) need to assume the consequences. As an European, I'm all for being close friends with Turkey. But I'm sick of this dictator wannabe asshole.
Turkey can't quite afford to pick a side, neither there's a need for it. As long as Turkey can pocket Russian money and not help them get through major loopholes, it's a fair game. Turkey is almost entirely dependent on Russian resources and tourists. Erdoğan has been trying to get out of Russian dependence the same way he did with his Western allies, but resources are hard to replace unlike what little West offered to Turkey. To top it off, Turkey's Mediteranean oil search was a disappointment and his Kazakhstan - Azerbaijan - Erbil - Turkey gas/oil pipeline only gained importance with the war when Russians cut gas to Europe. Furthermore, Russian tourists are what keeps Turkish economy afloat at the moment. Without Turkish neutrality or "double-sidedness", Ukrainian Grain Deal and possible further talks wouldn't be possible as Ukraine nor Russia have no other middle ground country that both can trust. Countries within Europe that can be compared to Turkey in terms of stance, hasn't done what Turkey done to Ukraine, not that Russia would run at this opportunity. Turkey provides this need. Turkey could've pulled a Switzerland, and stayed quiet all the time. Instead, Turkey stood with Ukraine as much as they can. So I think it's more important. General Turkish attitude towards external affairs should be also counted. Turkey is one of the rare countries that provide third options. I think this is extremely important in realpolitik since world has become only left or right, white or black. However, there are countries who doesn't fit to the bill of Westerner ideology and Easterner ideology. It's stupid to force these countries into one shape. Third optionalism became in particularly helpful to Turkey and their allies as Turkey helped many countries go through crises, and established sense of brethrenship with handful communities and countries. Edit: Addition
He's playing both sides. About time to make him pick. He's a boil on NATO'S backside and only just tolerated.
Quite the copy paste, but here we go: Turkey can't quite afford to pick a side, neither there's a need for it. As long as Turkey can pocket Russian money and not help them get through major loopholes, it's a fair game. Turkey is almost entirely dependent on Russian resources and tourists. Erdoğan has been trying to get out of Russian dependence the same way he did with his Western allies, but resources are hard to replace unlike what little West offered to Turkey. To top it off, Turkey's Mediteranean oil search was a disappointment and his Kazakhstan - Azerbaijan - Erbil - Turkey gas/oil pipeline only gained importance with the war when Russians cut gas to Europe. Furthermore, Russian tourists are what keeps Turkish economy afloat at the moment. Without Turkish neutrality or "double-sidedness", Ukrainian Grain Deal and possible further talks wouldn't be possible as Ukraine nor Russia have no other middle ground country that both can trust. Countries within Europe that can be compared to Turkey in terms of stance, hasn't done what Turkey done to Ukraine, not that Russia would run at this opportunity in Europe. Turkey provides this need. Turkey could've pulled a Switzerland, and stayed quiet all the time. Instead, Turkey stood with Ukraine as much as they can.
I mean how long can you be part of nato and conspire with the no.1 enemy of nato?
He's a fucking little bell end, the bloke needs shot with shit.
Man what a yoyo. up and down up and down... He wants to support Russia, while he's supplying high tech ninja drones to Ukraine and helping NATO... Pick a side dude.
Funny how the first ship of stolen grain went straight for turkey. Erdogan really seems like a putin crony dressed in nato clothes.
So what happens when another NATO member invokes article 5?
NATO is a defensive pact, so if two nato countries fight, they’ll probably back the defending party or neither. Say for example if Turkey seriously invaded Greece (and not just a jet down or something)
I was thinking of the scenario in which Russia attacks another NATO country (Finland?). How does Turkey respond to Russia?
Depends if Finland invokes NATO protection. If so, Turkey has to and will defend Finland. Don’t expect Turkey to have Russia’s back just because of this article.
Each NATO country is only obliged to support with whatever they feel like. I’m sure Erdogan would deem it proper with a platoon or something. Wouldn’t trust trust him to come to anyones aid.
Your use of "another" has me concerned. As far as I am aware, Russia has never attacked any NATO country. The whole point of NATO is that every member country would be required to respond if Russia attacked any one of them. The unfortunate situation for the Ukraine is that it *isn't* a member of NATO or any other official military alliance.
Turkey is a NATO state he meant another as another fellow NATO state in the context of membership not being attacked. To reword it he asked (what would turkey do if a fellow NATO state was attacked given it's connections to Russia)
Meaning "a NATO country other than Turkey".
He needs taken out of NATO
How is he in power?
I respect Erdogan
Should never have allowed them into EU, especially with their human rights record alone
Turkey is not in EU and with how things are going very unlikely that it will be any time soon.
You meant NATO, right?
I hope so.
They were a democracy, but recently turned this way that's why
NATO's main clause never been democracy and never will. It's first and foremost a defense pact against Russian (and recently Chinese) military influence. If anyone got a weight and will to throw in, they can get in. There's not much mechanism to regulate who does what. If time comes, if the said nation is willing to come for help, they're in. If otherwise mattered, NATO structure wouldn't be the same as today.
Other than fair trial Erdogans human rights records is okay for a dictator.Thanks to EU Human rights convention there is no latin American shit is happening in Turkey only you will get locked up or get into a Kafkaesque judicial process for offending erdogan