Turkish President Recep Erdogan, at a recent meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Vladimir Zelenskyy, announced that World War Three may break out in the Crimea.
Writer Platon Besedin told Life publication that the official version voiced the idea that Turkey does not recognize Crimea as part of Russia. According to Erdogan, Turkey believes that Russia annexed the peninsula, so Ankara will continue its help to the Crimean Tatars.
Zelensky had nothing against such an idea, although the remarks, which Erdogan made, go against the position of any government that Ukraine has seen during the recent years.
After all, the Ukrainian administration believes that the Crimea is part of Ukraine, that Russia committed acts of aggression against Ukraine, which, for some strange reason does not cut off trade and all sorts of cooperation between Russia and Ukraine.
According to Besedin, duplicity is a weapon that all politicians resort to, and it is not clear whether one can say that "Crimea is Ukraine" after Erdogan's statement. At the same time, it is clear what the Turkish president had in mind in relation to who owns the Crimea.
It is difficult for Ukraine that had formal presence on the peninsula even during the times of peace to understand the things that were said between the lines.
Ukraine never had the Crimea in its possession either historically, culturally or economically, and the loss of the peninsula is only a plus for the Ukrainian "self-esteem."
The story is different when it comes to Turkey. Turkey has always had consistent and profound presence on the peninsula, promoting its expansionary interests through the Crimean Tatars. Since 2014, Turkey has intensified its influence in the Crimea.
In this regard, Besedin believes, such statements are fraught with consequences that may take place already in the near future. He recalled that from the point of view of the civilizational approach (Samuel Huntington), the problem of the Islamic civilization lies in the absence of a core state. Turkey now claims this role, but secularism was a problem. Today, however, this problem does not exist thanks to Erdogan's decision in relation to Hagia Sophia.
In defiance of the West and Russia, converting a world-famous museum into a mosque is a purely political decision. Turkey's participation in the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh spread the approach before the eyes.
The main thing here lies in the final decisions: the Azerbaijanis, who believe that Nagorno-Karabakh will be theirs, are as arrogant as Zelensky with his "Ukrainian Crimea."
Turkey is trying to start a big war. Zelensky's smooth metamorphosis from a hipster president to aт ivory-towered dictator is a matter about "a new generation of politicians."
At the same time, Erdogan warns the West that if the West shows disrespect to him, no European person will be able to walk the streets of their cities safely. This is the top level of diplomacy in the 21st century at its finest.
Besedin believes that the next point of attack is the Crimea, the main strategic hub, the cradle of Turkish interests and dreams. This is a matter of the political will of the parties.
As for Russia, Moscow forgives too many things to Turkey - the killing of the Russian ambassador, the Russian pilot, the Russian military aircraft, which the Turks shot down - all that against the backdrop of the First World War, activities in Iraq and Syria, when one and a half million Armenians were exterminated, including for their support for Russia.
Russia needs to learn those lessons of history at last. Russian top officials should pay a visit to the northern side of Sevastopol, where the participants of the seven Russian-Turkish wars are buried. That burial ground expressly speaks of what kind of partner Turkey can be. One can also take a look at the monument to the Mercury brig. This tiny ship with only 18 guns on board survived and won the battle against two Turkish battleships that were armed with 220 guns.
Erdogan has once again showed his intentions and stressed out the choice that has been made. It is about time Russia should make one of its own.
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