By Janet Ekstract
İSTANBUL- Turkish President Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin are meeting in Sochi on Friday to discuss bilateral ties and international issues. Erdogan’s office reported that there will be a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders and that talks between Turkish and Russian delegations will be held during the one-day visit. Issues expected to be addressed include the ongoing Syrian conflict and the continuing six-month war between Russia and Ukraine. Both leaders will also focus on bilateral ties that center on the economy, trade and energy that are the mainstay of Turkish-Russian relations. In addition, the leaders will discuss steps to further develop bilateral cooperation.
A sticking point in the discussions remains Erdoğan’s warning on launching an operation into northern Syria to establish a buffer zone that would push out YPG terrorists who the Turkish leader said are threatening the national security of his country. Though the Kremlin said on Friday that Erdoğan’s security concerns in Syria are legitimate and will be taken into account – Russian government spokesperson Dimitry Peskov told the press that actions should be avoided that would “jeopardize Syria’s territorial and political integrity.” The Turkish government has spearheaded multiple operations in northern Syria since 2016 while seizing huge swaths of land as well as targeting the YPG despite protests from Russia.
Erdoğan has emphasized in other meetings with Putin his commitment to uproot terrorist organizations in Syria that include Daesh and the PKK as well as the Syrian branch YPG that threaten the security of his country. During his last meeting with Putin on July 19, Erdogan and Putin condemned the increasing presence and activities of terrorist groups and their affiliates under different names in Syria. Though Putin told the Russian press when both leaders met in Tehran, 17 days ago, that he still has “certain disagreements” with Erdoğan about Syria – both leaders have managed to reach agreements on other crucial issues like the UN-backed deal signed in Istanbul in July on resuming grain deliveries from Ukrainian ports.
Analysts have said that Erdogan’s aim is to remain neutral despite Russia’s war on Ukraine and its animosity toward the West over the ongoing conflict. Experts on the region agree that Erdogan has managed to navigate his stance between Russia and the West, quite well and that the Turkish leader’s ultimate goal is to bring Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky together for peace talks in Istanbul. As Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu explained in a press conference after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov last Wednesday, Cavusoglu commented: “We discussed if the grain agreement could be an occasion for a sustainable ceasefire.”UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has lauded the Turkish government’s efforts in leading the effort to get the grain agreement signed on July 22. Guterres also welcomed Erdogan’s efforts on working toward Russia and Ukraine achieving an eventual peace deal. The Turkish government has repeatedly offered to mediate between the two countries as well as to hold peace talks while emphasizing support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Though the Turkish government did oppose sanctions against Moscow, it made its stance known by closing the Bosphorous Straits to prevent certain Russian ships from crossing. Kremlin spokesperson
