Turkey, Russia Won't Risk Economic Ties Over Syria
The anticipated meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan recognized the deep economic ties between the countries, but the real focus was Syria, writes Semih Idiz.
Russian President Valdimir Putin’s high-profile visit to Istanbul on Dec. 3 for talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has refocused international attention on Turkish-Russian ties, which have been strained over Syria.
The fact that Putin had postponed this visit, initially planned for Oct. 14, had already fueled speculation about increasing tension between the two countries over this issue.
Such speculation appeared inevitable since news of the postponement of Putin’s visit had come only hours after Turkey forced a Syrian passenger plane en route from Moscow to Damascus and carrying Russian citizens to land in Ankara to be searched for weapons allegedly headed for the Syrian regime. Russian explanations that Putin was delaying his visit on medical grounds did not stop the rumor mill.
Both countries have, after all, been at loggerheads over Syria, with Ankara maintaining that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad — once one of Erdogan’s closest regional friends — would not have lasted so long were it not for Russian support.
