Ahead of the UN General Assembly, the Turkish Democracy Project (TDP) is calling on the international community to oppose President Erdogan's deepening rapprochement with Russia, while a new report reveals ties between the Russian and Turkish oligarchy.
Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Erdogan has positioned himself as a neutral mediator between Russia and Ukraine. However, this neutrality is at odds with the Turkish president's extensive cooperation with the Putin regime, including reports that Ankara is ready to purchase the second series of Russian S-400 missile systems. Erdogan has consistently refused to join other NATO allies in imposing sanctions against the Russian state or its oligarchs, companies and banks.
A new TDP report highlights the role of the oligarchy in supporting the rise of both Erdogan and Putin. The report shows how both autocrats relied on the empowerment of a few wealthy supporters to gain control over their countries' economies, civil society and media. Their similarities reveal an alliance based on values that Erdogan can no longer claim with other NATO members.
Commenting on the need to highlight Turkey's collusion with Russia at the upcoming UN General Assembly, Madeleine Joelson, executive director of the Turkish Democracy Project, said: “The UN General Assembly provides the international community with a critical opportunity to confront President Erdogan through his cooperation with Vladimir Putin. The Turkish president's self-proclaimed "neutrality" in the Ukrainian conflict is superficial and selfish, while his admiration for Putin's authoritarian state runs deep. Erdogan copied Putin's playbook, capturing the Turkish state while stripping its economy. The window for the revival of Turkish democracy is closing, and failure will inevitably lead to a strengthening of the Turkish-Russian alliance."