Zelensky tries to strengthen cooperation with Turkey against Russia

Cooperation between Ukraine and Turkey in forcing Russia
to respect international law will be able to improve the situation in the Black
Sea region and Crimea to the two countries’ mutual benefit, Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelensky told a press conference following his Aug. 7 meeting with
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. Zelensky raised human rights
violations and political persecution against Crimean Tatars with Erdogan during
the meeting. They also discussed the security of maritime traffic through the
Black Sea, as well as Ukraine’s efforts at restoring peace to Donbas. “Together
without fail, we will find a path to force Russia to respect international law,
to return peace and stability to the region, to protect the rights and freedoms
of Crimea Tatars, and to free political prisoners,” Zelensky told the press
conference.

Zelensky extended an invitation to Turkish enterprises
to participate in an international forum to rebuild the infrastructure of the
Donbas region, which is planned for this fall in the port city of Mariupol, the
president’s web site said. “We reached an agreement with Mr. Zelensky to
accelerate investment activity in infrastructure and construction,” Erdogan
reportedly said in response. The Turkish president also called for the establishment
of free trade zones between Turkey and Ukraine, with the hope of trade
eventually reaching a volume of USD 10 bln.

During his visit, Zelensky participated in a ceremony
opening a Crimean Tatar Diaspora Center in Ankara, alongside Crimean Tatar
leaders Mustafa Dzhemilev and Refat Chubarov. During the ceremony, Zelensky
announced that Ukraine will soon approve legislation to simplify the process of
gaining permission for migrants to visit occupied Crimea. “We won’t tire from
turning the international community’s attention towards the violation of rights
of Crimean Tatars with the Russian occupying government in Crimea,” Zelensky
said, as reported on the president’s web site. “We are also carefully studying
the problems of Crimean Tatar migrants, who were forced to leave Crimea owing
to the Russian aggression. Ukraine won’t leave these migrants by themselves
with their problems.”

Zenon Zawada: Zelensky’s
working visit was a critical geopolitical gambit as Turkey has drawn closer to
Russia in recent years. Besides sharing similar objectives in Syria, Turkey
purchased this year an air defense system from Russia (ignoring U.S.
objections). Moreover, a visa-free regime was introduced between Russia and
Turkey the same day of Zelensky’s visit. Zelensky making Turkey a priority so
early in his presidency (the second month) should have made an impression on
Erdogan.

With his visit, Zelensky was trying to prevent
Russian-Turkish relations from intensifying, using the plight of Crimean Tatars
under Russian rule to stress Turkey’s interest in supporting Ukraine’s
Euro-Atlantic aspirations and Crimea’s return to Ukraine. At minimum, Erdogan
seems to have understood that it will work to his advantage if he maintains
close ties with both Russia and Ukraine, without crossing any bounds with
either state.

This trip further confirms that the Zelensky team is
working closely with Washington to improve upon the current geopolitical
strategy (set by former President Poroshenko) to counteract Russia. Rather than
isolating Donbas and Crimea from the rest of the world, which the Poroshenko
administration was criticized for doing, the Zelensky team has adopted the
approach of getting the global community as intimately involved as possible in
renewing Donbas and returning Crimea. Hence Zelensky’s invitation for Turkey to
be involved in the international forum to rebuild Donbas, the planned
legislation to improve access by migrants to Crimea, as well as the opening of
the Crimean Tatar Diaspora center in Ankara.

We view Zelensky’s innovative foreign policy approach
to dealing with Russian aggression as positive for Ukraine’s investment
prospects. The investment community can only hope that this tight cooperation
with U.S. and other allies – in seeking creative approaches to dealing with
Russia (as supported by top U.S. diplomat Mike Pompeo)
– will continue and achieve new successes. It will be a tragedy should Zelensky
capitulate to Russian interests at any point in the next few years.