Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have caused a crack in NATO. The different statements made by NATO member states revealed the conflict.
While the United States and Britain are providing arms to Ukraine and escalating the tension, Germany and France continue to seek reconciliation.
After Russian President Vladimir Putin's statements targeting NATO, NATO also refused to withdraw from the former Soviet countries.
Prof. Dr. Celalettin Yavuz evaluated the crack in NATO and the tension between Ukraine and Russia for our newspaper.
“USA SUPPORTS THE ANTI-ORGANIZATION OF OPPONENT COUNTRIES”
Drawing attention to the attitude of the USA, Yavuz said, "The United States announced that it would support the opponents of anti-US countries rather than using weapons during the Biden era. To give an example; In Syria, by supporting the PYD/YPG, the Syrian extension of the PKK terrorist organization, it can use it as leverage against both the Assad regime and Turkey, whose interests sometimes conflict. It supports Ukraine as it is an important part of the project to contain Russia. It should not be understood from here that the USA is guilty and Russia is innocent. It is a fact that Ukraine is a victim of Russia's aggressive attitude. In other words, what Russia did, especially the taking of Crimea, is not acceptable."
"NO COMMON WILL IN NATO"
"There is no common will in NATO to intervene in the Ukraine problem," Yavuz said and added, "While the USA and the UK are saying let's give arms to Ukraine and even giving them, Germany and France attach importance to reconciliation efforts with Russia. Because the crisis with Russia also has an economic dimension. If the problem turns into armed conflict, which I think will be limited, because if Russia invades Ukraine, the EU will not be able to get gas from Russia. The USA may be happy to sell its shale gas to Europe at high prices, but in this case, the EU economy, especially in Germany, may collapse."
“TURKEY HAS DILEMMA TOO”
Yavuz also evaluated Turkey's situation in the Ukraine-Russia crisis.
"Although Turkey on the southeast wing of NATO does not accept the annexation of Crimea, it is in a dilemma regarding NATO's intervention in the Ukraine crisis. First of all, it will come face to face with Russia, with which it meets a significant part of its natural gas needs, and with which it has very good economic relations, and it may suffer great losses from this. Secondly, there is the risk of developments that will cause the Montreux Straits Convention to become controversial. NATO member Turkey may face the risk of breaching this contract, which is very important for its security, by allowing war weapons and vehicles of NATO countries to pass through the Turkish Straits, since it 'sees itself at war'. On the contrary, the attitude will make Turkey's NATO membership debatable. It would be appropriate for Turkey to make efforts for a solution at the table, acting together with Germany and France, whose interests overlap in the Ukraine tension," he said.
“UKRAINE IS NOT ANY GEOGRAPHY FOR RUSSIA”
"First of all, it is necessary to look at what Ukraine means to Russia. Before the establishment of the Russian Tsardom, the Kievan Principality was stronger in the region. Ukrainians and Russians are both Slavs and Orthodox. After the Moscow Principality became stronger and the Russian Tsardom was established, Ukraine remained under the influence of Hungarians, Poles, Russian Cossacks and Baltic nations for a while, but with the strengthening of Russia, it became a part of this state. Even in Turkish history, Ukraine is seen as a part of Russia. The 3 republics representing the Soviets in the UN General Assembly were the Russian republic, Belarus and Ukraine. Even when the decision to overthrow the Soviet Union was taken, Ukraine sided with Russia. What is understood here is that Ukraine is not just any geography for Russia. Although the definition of "backyard" is made for Turkestan (Central Asia) or the South Caucasus, it is a region that is adopted so closely that it can be called its own garden, not Ukraine, for Russia," he added.
“RUSSIA AGAINST NATO'S EXPANSION TOWARD EAST”
"In the period of Tsarist Russia, the priority was to reach the Black Sea in order to reach the warm seas. Crimea was also important after reaching the Black Sea. The Sevastopol naval base in Crimea is a strategic region of vital importance for Russia today as it was in the past. Ukraine was like the country's granary during the Soviet era. The most developed industrial facilities of the Soviets, especially the aviation sector, were in Ukraine. After the Cold War, all Eastern European countries that once formed the buffer zone between the Soviets and the Western Bloc became NATO members. Now only Belarus and Ukraine remain. These were also Soviet lands. In other words, Ukraine, which is a buffer zone between it and the West, is also important for Russia in terms of this feature. This is why Russia opposes NATO's eastward expansion. Russian President Putin, who has repeatedly expressed this point, described the NATO membership of Ukraine and Georgia, which are immediately bordering, as our "red line". In fact, Russia's objections began in 2005-2006 when it voiced NATO's Missile Shield project for Eastern Europe (Poland and the Czech Republic)," Yavuz added.