“He almost ostentatiously sympathizes with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin,” reports the German magazine.
The magazine DER SPIEGEL refers to Turkeypoints out the special geostrategic position of the country and argues that “President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took advantage of this position in terms of foreign policy. This was clearly seen in the grain agreement concluded three weeks ago by Russia and Ukraine after mediation by the United Nations and Turkey. In the war in Ukraine, Erdogan has a double role, as he is one of the few heads of state and government, who maintains close contacts with both Kyiv and Moscow. Just a few months ago Turkey was a kind of pariah in international politics, Erdogan with his provocations had angered his counterparts in the Middle East, Europe and the US. Suddenly he becomes a sought-after interlocutor again. The danger for Turkey, however, is that Erdogan overdoes it, as he has done so many times in the past. He almost ostentatiously sympathizes with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. For his NATO partners, he behaves as if he were a double agent.”
At the same time, the German magazine highlights the risks facing the Turkish economy: “The economy is on the verge of collapse, inflation reaches 80%. More than ever, Turkish businesses would now like to rely on reliable relations with EU member states, with which they conduct more than half of their trade. With less than a year to go until the presidential election, Erdogan’s approval ratings are as low as they have been since he took office. Appearing confident on the international stage may impress nationalist voters, but most Turks would prefer to see the economy recover.”
DW / Giannis Papadimitriou
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