ArmInfo. The observed increase in NATO's interest in the Black Sea region, among the rest of the complex of reasons, is due to disagreements with Turkey. A similar opinion was expressed to ArmInfo by leading researcher at the Institute for International Studies of Russian Foreign Ministry's Moscow State Institute of International Relations Sergey Markedonov.
"The beginning of these disagreements was laid from the very moment the Justice and Development Party, and personally Recep Erdogan came to power in this country. From this moment, Ankara began to show great independence from the decisions made in the Alliance and the USA. And today Erdogan's Turkey is trying to position itself in as an independent player with its own geopolitical interests in the Caucasus, the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean, "he said.
At this stage according to Markedonov, Ankara's similar attempts are seen in deepening relations with Russia, from which the Turks have already purchased S-400 systems, and another military operation in northern Syria. Moreover, both steps have become a cause of disapproval, both in Brussels and in Washington. In turn, the Turkish leadership, first of all, President Erdogan, according to the expert, remembers the attempt of a military coup in Turkey in 2016 and sees how the United States continues to harbor and support his opponent Fethullah Gulen. At the same time, Ankara can not find an alternative to the established political and economic ties with the US, new military technologies received from the US, spare parts for existing weapons.
The United States, in turn, is also interested in Turkey, on the territory of which Incirlik is located - an American military base that is of great importance for the military-political logistics of the United States and NATO in the Middle East. Turkey also continues to be a NATO country with the second largest army. "In this light, it is pragmatism that is the basis for finding ways to compromise in order to maintain existing US-Turkish cooperation. It is pragmatism that precludes the final break of these complex relations until Turkey leaves NATO. Washington and Ankara continue to bargain with a view to reaching interaction, while the latest Alliance summit in London, which showed disagreements between Turkey and key NATO countries, ended with Ankara's support for the decisions it made. This fact testifies that bargain between NATO and Turkey is continuing, " Markedonov concluded.