Turkey and Russia have pledged to go additional on navy cooperation regardless of US sanctions, in a transfer that dangers destabilising Nato.
“We favor to resolve all points, together with that of the S-400, by negotiations,” Turkish overseas minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu stated on Tuesday (29 December), referring to a Russian-made air-defence system purchased by Turkey.
However latest US sanctions over the acquisition have been “an act of aggression towards our nation’s sovereign rights”, the Turkish minister stated.
“We is not going to surrender on our intentions,” Çavuşoğlu stated, after assembly Russian overseas minister Sergei Lavrov in Sochi, Russia.
The US blacklisted 4 Turkish officers in December over the S-400 and beforehand excluded Turkey from a fighter-jet improvement programme, amid concern Russian-made radars may jeopardise Nato property within the area.
However for Russia’s Lavrov, the West was attempting to drive a wedge between Turkey and Russia as a result of that they had defied its declare to monopoly on energy.
“We admire … the principled disposition of our Turkish colleagues to proceed cooperation on this space, regardless of the persevering with illegitimate stress from Washington,” Lavrov stated in Sochi.
“Our relationships acquired strategic significance lengthy earlier than the West started to threaten and impose its illegitimate, unilateral sanctions,” Lavrov stated.
Çavuşoğlu repeated the official line that Turkey didn’t see nearer ties with Russia as an alternative choice to its Nato and EU alignment.
And there was nonetheless hope in Nato circles the US and Turkey may do a deal to mothball the S-400 deal.
However Turkey has additionally picked a battle with the EU over Cypriot and Greek maritime zones, deepening its rift with Western allies.
And Russia and Turkey’s willingness to make use of power has seen them sideline Nato and EU powers in among the principal conflicts shaping the Mediterranean.
Russia and Turkey have fought on reverse sides in Libya and Syria’s civil wars.
Turkey additionally defied Russia through the use of drones and mercenaries to not too long ago assist Azerbaijan reconquer the Nagorno-Karabakh area from Armenia.
However Çavuşoğlu and Lavrov promised to again Libya peace talks, create a de-escalation zone in Syria, and monitor a Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire.
Turkey in Azerbaijan
Turkey’s defence ministry, additionally on Tuesday, stated it might ship a common and 35 officers to a brand new Russian navy centre being constructed within the city of Aghdam in Azerbaijan.
It stated 135 Turkish mine-clearing troopers and numerous navy trainers have been additionally in Azerbaijan.
And it used language that risked inflaming ethnic tensions.
Turkey’s defence chief praised his “Azerbaijani brothers and sisters” for having “liberated its lands from Armenia’s occupation”.
And Turkey’s overseas ministry, the identical day, accused “Armenian parts” of killing Azerbaijani civilians in violation of the truce, in an uncorroborated declare.
“We want Allah’s mercy upon our Azerbaijani brothers who misplaced their lives,” the ministry stated.
In the meantime, Çavuşoğlu and Lavrov additionally promised to finish development of the ‘TurkStream’ gasoline pipeline to the EU, regardless of pandemic-linked delays.
And Russia gave Turkey the suitable to fabricate its ‘Sputnik V’ coronavirus vaccine, in a symbolic gesture.
“The purpose of this cooperation will not be just for vaccine provide however … for this vaccine to be produced in Turkey as nicely,” Çavuşoğlu stated.