Turkish Scholar Links Ukraine's Stability to Türkiye's Interests

Sinan Demirtürk, a Turkish scholar and head of the Turkish Foundation for Political and Strategic Research, stated during a CNN Türk interview that Ukraine's territorial integrity is in Türkiye's long-term interests.

Demirtürk noted that Türkiye's historical perspective on Ukraine's stability and potential peace talks between Russia and Ukraine influences its policy in the Black Sea region and toward the Turkic world.

The expert said meaningful peace talks are unlikely in the short term but could occur in the medium term. He warned that Russia achieving its goals, such as legitimizing the occupation of Ukrainian territories or replacing President Zelensky, would not be in Ankara's interests.

Demirtürk emphasized that Türkiye's role in the conflict is to steer it toward a balanced compromise, given the risks to its foreign policy and borders if Crimea remains under Russian control.

He also highlighted the significance of Zelensky's visit to Istanbul, which followed the Organization of Turkic States summit, as a demonstration of Türkiye's commitment to international peace and security in the Black Sea.

According to Demirtürk, Türkiye is maintaining ties with both the United States and Russia while showing its support for Ukraine, ensuring it does not face the conflict alone.