Repercussions from the Eastern Mediterranean to Ukraine
Repercussions from the Eastern Mediterranean to Ukraine
We interviewed Özgür Altınbaş, the Foreign News Chief of Aydınlık newspaper of Türkiye, regarding Trump’s Eastern Mediterranean policy, its impact on Türkiye, and the current situation in Ukraine. Altınbaş has been closely monitoring these regions by visiting them firsthand.
Trump and his team have unveiled their plans for Gaza. It is becoming increasingly clear that Washington will focus more on the Eastern Mediterranean. Of course, these developments are of particular concern to Türkiye, perhaps more than anyone else.
A massacre that has sparked worldwide attention occurred in the village of Russkoe Porechnoye in the Kursk region of Russia, where Ukrainian soldiers killed 11 men and 3 women. Additionally, they committed acts of rape and sexual violence against 8 women before ultimately killing them as well.
In the interview we asked Altınbaş about these matters.
Growing threat through Syria
The point that directly affects Türkiye is the growing threat that Israel will pose through Syria. Of course, all of this is related to the strengthening of the PKK/YPG terrorist organization especially active in northeastern Syria. Because after the change of power and the overthrow of Assad, the PKK/YPG went so far as to ask for a partnership with the new administration in Damascus.
Some comments have been made in the Turkish press close to the government, such as that Trump will not support the YPG. However, Trump’s plan about Israel coincides with his Syria plan. Let’s start with Trump’s response on February 3 at the White House to the question of a journalist. Trump was asked if he supports Israel’s annexation of the occupied West Bank. He replied “I’m not going to talk about it, but Israel is a very small country. Despite that, Israel accomplished a lot”. So, Trump’s plan for Israel was made clear here: Israel must expand. In fact, Israel survived by expanding since 1948. Both Trump and Netanyahu know that if Israel doesn’t expand, it will perish. They learned that better after the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7. Following the fall of Assad, Israel immediately started military advance in Syria.
The Cyprus aspect
So, in the Syria-Türkiye-Israel triangle, Israel’s influence in Syria is increasing. Evacuating Gaza and strengthening Israel particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean means creating a zone that will not pose a threat to Israel. All of this is actually a direct threat to Türkiye.
There is also the South Cyprus issue. The US will build a radar base and expand the other base. Now remember the headlines in the Turkish press that “Trump will bring peace”! These claims are falsified by the realities in Gaza, Syria, Cyrus, in fact in the entire Eastern Mediterranean.
So, Türkiye needs to act faster and effectively. This requires the elimination of the PKK/YPG threat in the northeastern Syria.
Europe’s military aid
Between 2022 and 2024, the total amount of European aid to Ukraine amounted to about 118.2 billion euros, and most of it is not humanitarian, but military aid. For example, Germany ranks the first with funds totaling 15.1 billion. Of this, 10.63 is military and 3.05 is humanitarian. This is why Europe, for the most part, turns blind eye for these war crimes.
War crimes of Ukraine
It is also necessary to divide Ukraine’s war crimes into two parts: crimes against their own people and against Russians living in these regions. After the start of the special military operation of Russia in 2022, brigades among the Ukrainian army tortured Ukrainian citizens who were “not of their own race and nationality”. People were tortured by being tied to poles, naked and with writings on their heads. Those atrocities have long appeared in the press with footages. Some human rights organizations in Europe reacted, but these have not been declared as war crimes.
Ukraine loses the war
For the US and the EU, the question is whether Russia will lose the war. That’s why they turn a blind eye to impunities of Ukraine. But, since NATO and the West loss the war, they might use such evidence to push the Ukrainian government to the negotiating table or even for a government change. Some reports say that NATO will reveal to the press some documents about Zelensky’s corruption and overthrow him. This is not because they are caring for the Ukrainian people, but because they want to get rid of the war in the most favorable terms for themselves. So, we can see Ukraine and Russia at the same negotiating table.