Growing relations between Turkey, Russia is concern for Israel - opinion

• Published date: 07 October 2021
• Author: JONATHAN SPYER
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

The Turkish president also said last week that Turkey still intends to purchase a second supply of the S-400 missile defense system from Russia. The purchase of the system by Turkey last year led to US sanctions on Turkey's Defense Industry Directorate, and the cancellation of Turkish reception of the F-35 fighter jet.

In an interview with the CBS network, quoted by Reuters, the Turkish president said that "In the future, nobody will be able to interfere in terms of what kind of defense systems we acquire, from which country and at what level."

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The US State Department, responding to Erdogan's statement, warned that any additional purchase of Russian defense systems would risk triggering additional sanctions.

Erdogan's statements confirm the Turkish tilt toward Russia, and Ankara's growing estrangement from Washington.

The latest Turkish moves also reflect a contradiction at the heart of Turkish regional strategy, between an immediate desire to avoid isolation, and the deeper strategic goal of unilateral regional assertion and support for Sunni political Islam which are part of the core outlook of Erdogan and those around him. The understanding of this contradiction is likely to determine Israeli responses to Turkish diplomatic moves.

The Turkish move toward Russia is not only determined by Ankara's declining relations with Washington. There is anger and concern in Turkey regarding a recent major naval defense deal between France and Turkey's traditional rivals, Greece. The $5 billion deal, according to which Greece commits to the purchase of three Belharra frigates and three Gowind corvettes from France, will serve to sharply advance Greek defense capabilities in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea, at a time when tensions between the two countries over disputes in these areas are increasing.

The French-Greek naval deal follows an agreement last year in which Athens committed to the purchase of 18 fourth generation Rafale fighter jets, for $2.5 billion. Taken together with the assertive French stance against Turkish moves in the Eastern Mediterranean, these major defense deals cement a strategic alliance between France and Greece. France is now committed to come to Greece's military aid if requested.

With major disputes extant between Athens and Ankara over air and sea rights in the Aegean, and drilling rights...