It Is Time to Make a Decision on the Establishment of a Military-Political Alliance Between Türkiye and Ukraine
By Ferhad Turanly. Professor of the Department of General and Slavic Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Based on the materials of the roundtable “Military-Political Alliance of Türkiye and Ukraine as a Factor of Security and Stability in the Baltic-Black Sea-Caspian Region”
The Institute of Global Policy is developing a thematic concept of a military-political alliance between Turkey and Ukraine, which will become a factor of security and stability in the Baltic-Black Sea and Caspian regions.
The topic of today’s meeting is once again being discussed at a very serious level. All the present probably know that the Institute for Global Politics is developing a thematic concept of a military-political alliance between Turkey and Ukraine, which will become a factor of security and stability in the Baltic-Black Sea – Caspian Region. Such activities are noteworthy in view of international law and other important factors. The Crimean Tatar factor is also one of the key factors in resolving this urgent problem. At this, the historical factor should not be overlooked.
It is appropriate to recall that in the seventeenth century there were similar military alliances between the Ukrainian Cossack state and the Ottoman Turkish state. They joined forces in confronting the enemy and defeated it. In particular, it is known as an undisputed fact, based on archival documents, both Turkish and Ukrainian, that in the Konotop War of 1659 and in the 1670s, the joined military forces of the Crimean Khanate, Ottoman Türkiye, and the Ukrainian Cossack state dealt a crushing blow to the Moscow army. This is how they won at that time and forced the then-Moscow state to sign peace agreements.
If we turn to the present and keep in mind the geopolitical factor, the need to create such a national union is dictated by global geopolitical changes. For example, we are already witnessing that the old world order no longer works. This is explained by the Russian aggression with the occupation of certain territories of Ukraine, and is confirmed by the inability of international organizations to counteract such aggression. International organizations and states that were considered guarantors of the security and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state failed to fulfill their mission, and as a result, this independent state is experiencing Russia’s aggression, accompanied by the occupation of Crimea and other Ukrainian territories, physical destruction of people, cultural, medical, educational and other facilities, abduction of children, etc.
I would like to emphasize once again that the problem we are discussing has, so to speak, already been tested, i.e., it has a scientific basis. In addition, Mr. Bereziuk has scaled up this topic, and it is already being discussed in the international context. I would like to draw the attention of the present to the fact that a respected foreign scholar, Professor Dr. Yurii Leskiv, who is fundamentally involved in such issues, that is, the history of Ukrainian-Turkish relations, including military issues, is joining our meeting. I am grateful that he is with us online today.
What I would like to emphasize is that it is time to make an appropriate decision on the topic we’ve touched upon, that is, on the creation of a military-political alliance between Türkiye and Ukraine. And then to expand this range to the Baltic-Black Sea-Caspian Region. I mean the Black Sea vector in terms of developing diplomatic and military relations.
Previously, this topic was also relevant for Ukraine. After all, this vector of relations is covered by a thousand years of history. But the time has come to tackle this issue in order to first and foremost guarantee Ukraine’s security and restore its territorial integrity. I believe that in this way, we, that is, Ukraine and Türkiye, together can also free the Crimean Tatars from their long enslavement, as well as Ukrainians, who also suffer from Moscow’s enslavement.
It is important that today we finally manage to make a concrete decision, and on its basis develop an appropriate concept or program for further implementation.
