Expert: Turkey's NATO move part of broader power strategy

The statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan Hakan on his readiness to support Ukraine on NATO and peacekeeper issues are an attempt to strengthen the country's influence.

The opinion was shared by Ukrainian scholar Mykhailo Yakubovych, CE Report quotes Ukrinform.

"Türkiye seeks to remain a key partner of all powerful geopolitical actors to maintain its influence and put forward certain demands of its own. This is a policy that Erdogan has long been pursuing, and along with Turkish ‘soft power’ in terms of relations with other countries, it has already yielded results in many respects," he said.

Türkiye traditionally positions itself not only as a mediator, but also as a powerful actor, the expert adds, noting that the country's authorities are trying to show that they play a major role in important negotiations and are making relevant statements, such as supporting Ukraine on the issue of joining NATO or deploying peacekeeping troops.

"Türkiye has long been integrated into the Western security system (it has been a NATO Ally since 1952, almost since the founding of the Alliance), and this allows them to play on this front as well. Speaking about a possible peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, the Turks are demonstrating their military influence," explained Yakubovych.

According to the expert, the Turkish army surpasses the armies of many Western European nations in terms of its potential and combat capability, as it enjoys substantial investments, being well trained and constantly on alert. But Ukraine is unlikely to receive real security guarantees from Türkiye, the pundit opines.

"By and large, they don't care about our processes, it’s just to make it seem like the Turks are part of a big game," Yakubovych noted.