After Turkey shot down a Russian SU-24 bomber back in November, Russia broke ties with the country and imposed sanctions. Russia demanded an apology for the shooting, even as Turkey provided evidence that the bomber had been warned repeatedly about encroaching into their airspace. Tuesday, the two countries made nice. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in St. Petersburg following what the Russians say was an apology issued by Erdogan in June.
Putin plans to lift the sanctions bit by bit while resuming trade talks involving a multi-billion dollar gas pipeline. While the West has cringed from the actions of Erdogan during the aftermath of the Turkish military coup, Russia has stayed silent on the issues of crushing dissenters and demanding extradition of clerics. After all, WWRD (What Would Russia Do) if a coup had erupted in Moscow?
The United States, the EU, and NATO will be watching any further developments between the two countries closely. The U.S. stages troops and aircraft out of Turkey that are currently being used to fight the war on Daesh. While Russia and Turkey are returning to warm relations, the Syrian crisis and who is fighting who only continues to get more complicated.
Read more about the Russian-Turkish bromance here.
Image courtesy: AFPSource:Supplied
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Not sure if Micheal Weiss or John Schindler stated this, but this seem to be the fucking crowning moment of Obama Admins Middle/Near East policy. Good job Fucktards! This critique isn't just limited to Dems, Repubs have never been this clueless or self absorbed. The parties are part of the same club; sure, they claim hatred and disgust for each other, but they attend the same parties and functions. They just enter and exit by different doors and elevators.
Yes, all you said makes sense, would explain the new bromance after they had all the bad blood between them before. Not a good development! Thanks.
I think he is playing an intelligence game. First, they supported opposite sides in the just recent conflict. you know, where the plane got shot down ? Also, turkey has been pretty permissive about letting Islamic militants through its border, while blocking kurds and other sectarian fighters. Russia, is #8 in most terror attacks on its soil since 2011. It's foolish to think that he has forgotten all of that, but right now, he is the only western country with access to turkey. Let me put it this way, ISIL in its efforts to leave syria like a sinking ship, is moving its operations to turkey, that's what the coup was about. The Russians feel the pain from terrorism way more than the US does. and we know that up till recently, all sides were getting armed, even got to the point where the US backed rebels, were fighting each other. And the state dept was more than happy to flood the area with weapons. Looks like the state dept is trying to pull back, and let the Russians take the initiative. Since they did anyway back in November.
No good can come from this dictatorial duo! How quickly Putin forgives and forgets Turkey shooting down his plane and their opposite sides in Syria, now they are getting all cozy together. They have much in common with their repressive, authoritarian leadership. While the U.S. and other western countries watch Erdogan's brutal purge with alarm and condemnation, Putin doesn't say a word. Erdogan will likely not hesitate to turn against us and NATO and the coalition in order to secure his total power over Turkey. This is a major shift away from NATO, they should get their nukes out of Turkey!