Turkey’s calls for a reform of the UN structure could have prevented Russia’s attack on Ukraine as well as the migration of millions of people, said communications director Fahrettin Altun, stressing that Turkey continued its efforts to bring peace to the region.
“We want the ethics of our policies and our arguments expressed to be recognized without painful experiences. A new wave of refugees was created before the rooted refugee and migrant problem in Syria and Afghanistan could be resolved,” Altun told the Star newspaper.
Stressing that Russia’s attack on Ukraine has once again proven the injustice of the global system, Altun said: “The UN, the European Council, the EU and NATO have turned into a condemnation mechanism. We have repeatedly experienced that the UN, which acts as a legal framework for the interests of the victors of World War II, with its current structure, does not provide solutions to global problems but rather a dead end.
“We have seen how a warring party being a permanent member of the UN blocked the processes,” Altun stressed. “The UN, with this structure, is not on the side of the weak, the victims or the righteous, but on the side of the five strong permanent members.”
He indicated that the UN needs a structure that grants the rights of the victim without any country being able to hinder it, while being able to punish the aggressor.
He described Turkey as a power that on the one hand tries to resolve conflicts and crises through peaceful means and on the other tries to find a solution to end injustice and problems in the system.
Altun said that under these conditions, Turkey continues its efforts to solve regional problems and global problems.
“Finally, we continue our honest efforts to end the war between Ukraine and Russia and prevent a humanitarian crisis from the beginning. Turkey is a key country for several regions thanks to its geopolitical position.
Altun said that Turkey contributes as a force of stability for the solution of crises wherever the UN and NATO are not active or where their decisions are ignored.
“Our President (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) is honestly trying to use his close dialogue with Mr. (Vladimir) Putin and Mr. (Volodymyr) Zelensky for the establishment of peace. As part of this process, he had several phone calls with the two leaders,” Altun said, reiterating that Turkey also hosted foreign ministers from both countries.
“This was the highest level of talks the two foreign ministers have had since the start of the conflict.”
Ankara hosted the foreign ministers of Russia and Ukraine in Antalya last month. Foreign Ministers Sergey Lavrov of Russia and Dmytro Kuleba of Ukraine met in the Turkish resort town of Antalya for talks, which Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu also attended. The talks were largely inconclusive, but Ankara hails them as a success for the fact that they took place. Following these talks, the negotiating committees of the two countries met in Istanbul.
“Especially after the Istanbul meeting, signals came from both sides that tensions were easing. After this meeting, which took place in a positive and constructive atmosphere, hopes for peace increased as the peace process gained significant momentum,” Altun continued.
A NATO ally, Turkey borders Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea and enjoys good relations with both. Since the start of the conflict, Ankara has offered to mediate between the two sides and host peace talks, stressing its support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. After calling the Russian invasion an unacceptable violation of international law, Turkey has carefully crafted its rhetoric so as not to offend Moscow, with which it has close ties in energy, defense and tourism.
While forging close ties with Russia in a number of areas and relying heavily on Russian tourists, Turkey has sold drones to Ukraine, which has angered Moscow. Turkey also opposes Russian policies in Syria and Libya, as well as Moscow’s annexation of Crimea. Ankara has opposed international sanctions aimed at isolating Moscow, although it has closed its straits to prevent some Russian ships from crossing them.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly said that Turkey will not abandon relations with Russia or Ukraine, stressing that Ankara’s ability to talk to both sides is an asset.
