The Black Sea is located in southeastern Europe between Asia and Europe. Black Sea for peripheral countries, especially Russia; Turkey, Romania and the United States are extremely sensitive. This sea is a strategic stronghold for Moscow. Given its position to provide access to the Black Sea, the Crimean peninsula in the north of the Black Sea is also doubly important for the powerful actors. (Map quoted from Yahoo’s image)
In fact, the importance of the Black Sea has changed in Turkey's foreign policy throughout history. After the overthrow of the Soviet Union, Turkey has tried to pursue its maximum national interests in the region. Russia and Ukraine in the north, Romania and Bulgaria in the west, and Turkey in the south of the Black Sea.
After the independence referendum on the Crimean peninsula, secession from Ukraine and its accession to Russia in 2014, many countries around the world, such as Turkey, did not recognize the annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula to Russia.
In the meanwhile, the unstable and tense relationship between Russia and Ukraine over the strategic Crimean peninsula continued. Russia currently has a strong army and significant advantages in the Black Sea, such as the Crimean fleet and naval missiles. According to the Kremlin, Crimea is a source of military power and Moscow is trying to strengthen its presence in Crimea.
On the other hand, about 10% of the Crimean populations are Turkish-speaking Tatars of the peninsula. In fact, Ankara is trying to put pressure on Moscow, using the minimal approach of supporting the Crimean Tatars in certain circumstances. The Turks also diverge from Moscow's approach due to their interaction with Ukraine. Turkey's position is to support Ukraine and to continue the non-recognition of Crimea's accession to Russia. Therefore, Turkey has become an ally of Ukraine and support for the Crimean Tatars plays a significant role in the proximity of the two countries.
Ankara has repeatedly supported Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty. Turkey has been trying to pursue military-industrial cooperation, assistance in providing drones and supporting Ukraine in the conflict of "The annexation of Crimea to Russia and to increase the level of comprehensive relations, in its relations with Ukraine."
Thus, Ankara sometimes demands halting of Russia's actions against the Crimean Tatar Turks of the Crimean Peninsula. Turkey also considers holding a meeting with the leader of the Crimean Tatars, The World Congress of Crimean Tatars and supporting the Crimean Tatars as its responsibility.
Ankara also points to the presence of more than 3 million Tatar citizens in Turkey as the reason for its support from the rights of Crimean Tatars. Turkey is also a major player in the Black Sea, but although Erdogan previously believed that the Black Sea had become a Russian lake, Ankara knows that NATO has not yet made a concerted effort to push Russia back.
Also, the situation of political tensions between Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and NATO can lead to disruption or at least the continuation of trade and energy traffic through the Black Sea, which is an important negative factor in the Turkish economy. In another dimension, Turkey has never had a balance of power with Russia. In fact, Turkey wants to establish a balanced diplomacy between Ukraine and Russia, and Crimea should not be an important obstacle in relations with Russia.
Therefore, Turkey is reluctant to join the Crimean platform plan, an attempt to consolidate international efforts to return the peninsula to Ukraine, and to support this project. Russia has previously warned Turkey of the consequences of interfering in Crimea and cooperating with Ukraine against the region and disrupting its order. In fact, Turkey does not want to lose its future partnership with Russia and Russian tourists, and also doesn't want the differences to have a major impact on relations between the two countries.
Farzad Ramezani Bonesh
Senior Researcher and Analyst of International Affairs
