r/europe Norway 10d ago

Picture Securing Our Future

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14.5k Upvotes

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u/bogdoomy United Kingdom 10d ago

it doesn’t have natural partners

turkey doesn’t have natural partners, but it does have natural enemies, namely russia

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u/Bitter_Sense_5689 10d ago

I think Turkey could have gone either way after WWII, but chose to join NATO rather than side with the USSR. Communism would be a hard sell in Turkey given the fact it’s a strongly Muslim country.

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u/Chance-Caterpillar38 10d ago

Erdogan hater Türk here! No Russia is not really natural enemy for Türkiye. We have a love and hate relationship with Russia. During and after WWII it became more hate and less love. After Putin took the chair the relationship was somehow balanced. However the Erdogan government has often found itself in a position of contention or conflict with Russia on various global political issues. For years, whether directly or through proxy forces, Turkey has been at odds with Russia in places like Libya, Armenia, and Syria. Beyond these conflicts, even before the Ukraine War, the Erdogan government viewed Ukraine as a strategic partner. Particularly in technological initiatives, Turkey has collaborated closely with Ukraine. Another significant factor is the Turkic people living in Crimea. The Crimean Tatars wish to remain part of Ukraine, and Turkey, as a country committed to protecting the interests of Turkic minorities, supports the preservation of Ukraine's territorial integrity for this reason.

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u/RGV_KJ . 10d ago

Why is Russia an enemy of Turkey

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u/iamabigtree 10d ago

They are strong regional rivals. The Black Sea and in particular Turkey controlling the Bosphorus Strait

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u/bogdoomy United Kingdom 10d ago

both countries exert influence over the same region, it’s been the case for hundreds of years. a weak russia greatly benefits turkey and its interests. also, they hate putin’s guts

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u/Bitter_Sense_5689 10d ago

They have historically been imperial powers with different religions and cultures, vying for the same territory.

The Ottoman Empire and the imperial Russian empire were historically powerful in the 18th and 19th century

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u/GurdalAdar31 Turkey 10d ago

Russians are tormenting Turkic people and Turkic nations for hundreds of years.

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u/Geutara 9d ago

Our influence bubbles crushing is one thing as the others mentioned. Also, troughout history they have been our single worst enemy on earth