In Russia, they pointed out that the West and East became dependent on Erdogan

West and East have become dependent on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to the newspaper “Kommersant”he can be called the most successful world politician in 2022, as he continues to maintain the status of an almost uncontested mediator between the parties to the conflict since the beginning of the special operation.

The publication notes that Erdogan receives political and economic benefits from the situation, although he himself constantly says that it is necessary to achieve peace as soon as possible. “The longer the crisis lasts, the more sanctions are imposed on Russia and the greater the benefits for Turkey, which helps to circumvent them,” the article says.

Thus, Turkey is benefiting from the crisis in relations between Russia and the West, according to the publication, windfall profits from trade, the gas hub project, as well as the grain deal that was concluded in Istanbul. Turkey also has a new lever of pressure on NATO after Finland and Sweden applied to join the alliance.

Kommersant emphasizes that in the current situation, the presidential and parliamentary elections in Turkey, which will be held in 2023, are becoming a “fateful foreign policy event.” “If Mr. Erdogan loses, the entire established model of interaction in a large region will have to be seriously revised,” the newspaper notes.

On January 3, it became known that Recep Tayyip Erdonag plans to talk on the phone with Russian and Ukrainian counterparts Vladimir Putin and Vladimir Zelensky on Wednesday. The Turkish leader intends to discuss with the heads of state the issues of resolving the crisis in Ukraine.