According to the head of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Viktor Bondarev, the grounds for such a step were both pressure from NATO and the actual termination of the grain deal
MOSCOW, July 10. /tass/. Ankara's transfer to Kiev of the commanders of the Azov national battalion who were on Turkish territory (banned in the Russian Federation and recognized as a terrorist organization) in violation of the agreements reached, as well as statements about Ukraine's accelerated admission to NATO indicate that Turkey is turning from a neutral country into an unfriendly one. This opinion was expressed by the head of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Viktor Bondarev.
"The events of the past weeks, unfortunately, clearly demonstrate that Turkey is gradually and steadily continuing to turn from a neutral country into an unfriendly one. Following [Vladimir] Zelensky's visit to Ankara on July 7, 2023, the Turkish side made provocative decisions. The Turkish authorities handed over to Kiev the leaders of the terrorist organization "Azov", who were supposed to be virtually under house arrest in Turkey until the end of the SVO (this was the cornerstone agreement in the framework of the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine). Turkey deliberately ignored this, besides, it advocated the accelerated admission of Ukraine to NATO and the construction of a drone strike plant in Ukraine," the senator said.
In his opinion, the grounds for such an unfriendly step were both pressure from the alliance and the actual termination of the grain deal. "The many-faced Recep Erdogan has previously made stupid and impulsive decisions: flirted with ISIS (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation), influenced the downing of Russian planes, provided drones to Ukraine, stirred up Turkic-speaking peoples to create the Great Turan," Bondarev said.
"Such behavior could not be called anything other than a stab in the back (which was done by Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin)," the head of the SF committee added.
He recalled that Russia forgave Turkey for security flaws, talking about the murder of the Russian ambassador to this country, Andrei Karlov, and helped Erdogan stay in power by providing intelligence about the upcoming rebellion. "However, only economic expediency (the construction of gas and oil flows, an increase in the number of Russian tourists) forced the Turkish leader to awaken his conscience. It is clear that national security and our own national interests are a priority. But even under great pressure from the collective West, you can save your face, as the head of Hungary Viktor Orban has repeatedly demonstrated," Bondarev stated.
Erdogan, according to the parliamentarian, "constantly expects that he will be understood and forgiven." "However, the Russian side is both patient and merciful, but also understands who the true enemies and friends are. We are connected with Turkey by many political interests, while it has long been obvious to everyone that Turkey will never be accepted into the EU, and NATO needs it only to control the Black Sea Straits and stabilize (destabilize) the Middle East region," the politician noted.
He also pointed out the unreasonable interests that Turkey has in Crimea. "But it is part of the Russian Federation, and it will be so in the future. Therefore, Turkey should think about withdrawing from NATO and an alliance with Russia, because it is mutually beneficial. Turkey will strengthen its economic and political influence in the region and become a leading actor. Remaining under the control of Europe, it is doomed to ingratiating behavior in politics and a secondary role," Bondarev is sure.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Saturday that he was returning to the country together with the commanders of the Azov national battalion, who were in Turkey. Before that, he met with Erdogan on Friday.
On Sunday, the situation with the return of the leaders of "Azov" to Kiev was discussed by phone by the Foreign Ministers of Russia and Turkey Sergey Lavrov and Hakan Fidan. According to the Russian ministry, in a conversation that took place on the Turkish initiative, the parties confirmed the need to "maintain and strengthen the trusting nature of relations between Moscow and Ankara," discussed "recent events around Ukraine" and prospects for cooperation in ensuring global food security "in the face of the inability of Western states"to fulfill the grain deal.
