The last, unsettling move of the sultan was hosting Volodymyr Zelensky, at the end of February, while in Saudi Russian and American Arabia they dialogue on the future of Ukraine. With the usual unscrupulousness he candidate his Türkiye as an ideal location for hosting the peace talks, saying ready to deploy troops in Kiev within an international mission. For Recep Tayyip Erdogan only with the presence of his country it would be possible to talk about a fair and just strength for everyone. During these three years of war, the president has in fact maintained relations both with Moscow and with Kiev, supplying the army of the country invaded by the deadly drones Bayraktar TB2. The Turkish leader always manages to carve out a leading role, keeping alive the imperial pride of his people. A precious strategy to move the fire of attention from the enormous internal economic difficulties that have been dragging for too many years.
The exchange rate of the Turkish lira in 2023 recorded a devaluation of 63 for sure on the eurowhile in 2024 the inflation was 62 percent on an annual basis. From 2021 Turkey has entered a state of hyperinflation with peaks of 75 percent, especially due to the monetary policy of its central bank. During the post-pandic recovery, interest rates were artificially kept low, excessively pushing the internal demand. At the same time, pensions and salaries for public employees has increased, only for electoral purposes and causing the collapse of the national currency. Over the years the debt position has grown and the cost of imports has risen. A series of economic errors that have impoverished the population, but that brought votes to Erdogan to the general elections of 2023. To challenge the president, Kemal Kihcdaroglu of the Republican People’s Party presented himself, an economist who had attacked him right on the management of the country, which however was defeated in the ballot. A candidate too weak for Erdogan who fears only the young mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu, especially popular with the new generations.
In any case, the sultan remains a NATO member, where, however, he does not respect the rules and, at the same time, flirt with the Bricsthe economic-political alliance led by Moscow and Beijing. On the other hand, China represents the first Turkish commercial partner in Asia and the commercial exchange between the two states amounted to over 47 billion dollars in only 2023. But the adhesion to the group of these “not aligned” seems only a threat to Europe, given that since 2006 the demand for the adhesion of Turkey to the EU remains pending. Hakan Fidan, the foreign minister, recently praised the inclusive nature of the Brics, opposing it with the rigidity of the old continent, but reiterating that everything would stop if Ankara entered the union. No later than 6 March, with the states of this who are organizing themselves for their rearmament, Erdogan said “that there is no justification to exclude us”.
A further success achieved it with the infinite Kurdish question. Abdullah “Apo” Öcalan, the leader of the Kurdistan workers’ party (PKK) convinced, to ask his organization to deposit the weapons and melt. However, an appeal that would concern only the PKK in Türkiye and not its Syrian team of the Democratic Union Party (PYD). He says to Panorama Salih Muslim, a member of the Pyd executive committee: «We have carefully listened to the appeal of Apo Öcalan, but it does not concern us. He only spoke to PKK, Syria thinks with his head. Here the struggle continues and Turkey is using these complicated moments to attack our cities. Using their puppets of the self -styled Syrian army Libero, in December they subtracted the cities of Manbij and Tal Rifat from our control. They employ pro-turch militants as mercenaries in Azerbaijan, Libya and Africa and their goal is to exterminate the Kurdish people ».
Meanwhile, in Damascus, the government of the former jihadists wanted by the President to Interim at Jolani has signed an agreement with Ankara for training the army And he said he was ready to integrate all the pro-torn militias disinteresting the Kurds. For several years, the Longa Manus Manus has also taken on control of Tripolitania, in Western Libya, where the weak government of national unity (GNU) remains standing only thanks to the support of the Syrian mercenaries. Recognized by the United Nations, it barely controls the capital and has Erdogan political mentor. At Taher Salem at Baor is the Foreign Minister of the Gnu who tells our weekly: «With Turkey the collaboration boasts deep roots. I want to thank its president for supporting the efforts for stability in Libya, supporting the only legitimate government. For five years we have been working closely both economic and military. Turkey is in our country for a decisive contribution to the growth and safety of the whole region “.
A very advantageous deal that led to a series of agreements for the exploitation of offshore resources in the Mediterranean With the clear objective of limiting access to Greece and Egypt and increase the Turkish weight in the eastern Mediterranean. The exclusive Libyan economic area (ZEE) overlaps in fact with areas of Greek and Egyptian exploration in a dial that from the first prospects would have two large liquefied gas deposits. However, this balance is questioned by the government of national stability based in Tobruk which has the political leader in Aquila Saleh, but which responds directly to General Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA). Haftar is the man who opened the doors of Libya to Russia, after a trip to Moscow in 2016 from where he returned with a substantial fundamental payment to pay his personal army that has about twenty thousand effective. Russians and Turks since then, albeit with mutual tensions, have coexisted in this area of North Africa, dividing influence and wealth.
Ankara then looks at the Caucasus and Central Asia with extreme interest, where he guides the organization of the Turkish states (OTS). Here, in Azerbaijan, Erdogan plays the “Panturchism” card with the Azerus people to close energy contracts and strengthen the transport corridors of gas and oil to Europe. The recent Nagorno-Karabakh war was another example of how Russia and Türkiye manage to find a balance. Only the Moscow military hallway has allowed the Azeri to occupy the region contested for decades. And Azerbaijan has also signed an agreement for the purchase of weapons and military training. Even more east Erdogan moves its pawns among the Turkoon states such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Here aims to limit the Russian influence with the aim of access to the Caspian Sea, also rich in natural resources and outlet of ports that allow the transit from central Asia to Caucasus and Anatolia. It is a complex mosaic where the so -called “Davatoglu doctrine” is applied, studied by the homonymous and skilled former foreign minister. Guided by the concept of “strategic depth”, it provides for an active policy in theaters close to Türkiye, promoting economic interdependence but without neglecting relationships with the West. It is a multiplicity of action and influence plans, always on the move, difficult to manage for anyone: not for Sultan Erdogan, however.
