This is an opportunity for Turkey to elevate its status and come out of the doghouse, metaphorically speaking, in NATO
Media mentions – Wider Europe
[…] in a world of increasing geopolitical competition, the US needs partners — not supplicants and free-riders
Turkey desperately wants to be the intermediary in this conflict
They’ve already gained a lot. Now Russia is the center of attention
The Russians are underestimating the Ukrainian resolve
War with Ukraine would be hugely unpopular domestically, and breaking off relations with the West will put Russia at the mercy of China
France is entering election season, Germany has just exited it, and both are conscious of spillover costs to energy prices — one of many crises (including refugees) that an invasion would bring
A big invasion might not be the most likely, but it’s not impossible
“Finland’s room to manoeuvre and freedom of choice also include the possibility of military alignment and of applying for NATO membership, should we ourselves so decide
Hanna Ojanen’s article, ‘Between Russia, Sweden, and NATO: Finland’s defence of “sovereignty equality”’ is cited in the Montreal Gazette
Ankara does genuinely worry about Russian expansion, has cultivated a special relationship with Ukraine, and has been consistently supportive of independence of post-Soviet republic