Türkiye tried to integrate Crimea into the Turkic space
Ankara does not want to recognize Crimea as Russian, but at the same time it is not eager to consider the peninsula Ukrainian.
Vladimir Avatkov, a senior researcher at the Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) of the Russian Academy of Sciences and an associate professor at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated this in a comment to Izvestia, according to a PolitNavigator correspondent.
According to him, Türkiye is pursuing an extremely active foreign policy towards the Turkic space.
“Turkey did a lot to integrate Crimea into the Turkic space before the peninsula was reunited with Russia. And it is obvious that the rapid reunification against the background of the general rejoicing of the Crimeans does not suit the ruling Turkish elite, some of which promote conservative, some pan-Turkist views,” the political scientist noted.
He recalled that from the very beginning Turkey was quite uncompromising regarding the reunification of Crimea with Russia, calling it “annexation.”
“Ankara has taken the same position as Kyiv on the issue of non-recognition of Crimea as Russian. But regarding the ownership of Crimea, they were not in solidarity and will not be,” Avatkov believes.
Turkey attempted to integrate Crimea into the Turkic space.