Erdogan’s statements came in an interview with the US news channel “CNN”, at a very sensitive time, before the second round of the Turkish presidential elections scheduled for May 28.
The run-off will determine whether Erdogan enters his country’s third decade in power or loses it to opposition candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu.
Balanced approach with Russia
Erdogan emphasized his policy of “balanced” rapprochement with Russia, attacking his rival Kilicdaroglu, who had reservations about this approach.
We are not in a position to impose sanctions on Russia as the West does. We are not bound by Western sanctions. We are a strong country and we have a positive relationship with Russia. The West does not take a balanced approach (with Russia), you need a balanced approach towards a country like Russia, an approach that could be more fruitful. Erdogan accused his rival, Kilicdaroglu, of trying to isolate Turkey from Russia.
Privileged relationship with Putin
With the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took positions in which he distanced himself from the Western position against Russia and imposed severe sanctions on it.
Erdogan brokered the Grain Corridor Agreement, which helped export millions of tons of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea and averted a global hunger crisis. The agreement was extended for two additional months, last Wednesday.
“It wouldn’t have been possible without the special relationship with President Putin,” Erdogan said, and the Turkish president was here to talk about the grain deal.
In other files related to Turkey’s foreign policy, Erdogan said:
As long as Sweden continues to allow branches of terrorist organizations to roam the streets of Stockholm, we cannot look favorably on Swedish membership of NATO. He criticized US President Joe Biden’s statements in which he called him a “tyrant”, and said: “Will the dictator enter a second round in the election?”
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