[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

The president of Turkey is making waves with a recent comment to local media. He said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin are “the only two leaders left” on the world stage.

It’s a stark comment from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as Turkey and Russia have been on opposite sides of the conflict in Syria – Russia backs fallen president Bashar Assad’s regime, while Turkey sides with the rebels.

Turkey is also a member of NATO, the U.S.-led alliance with 30 countries in Europe.

And NATO has been worrying about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and whether Putin wants to invade NATO members in the future.

Turkey and President Erdogan have spent the last few years trying to play both sides of the tension between the U.S. and Europe … and Russia and China.

Turkey has been serving as an intermediary between the U.S. and the Syrian rebel group establishing a new government in the country.

But President Erdogan has stayed closer with Putin than most other NATO members. In 2019, the two reached a deal for Turkey to buy Russian-made missiles. And after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and Turkey went into a currency crisis, Russia allowed for Turkey to delay its payments on its imports of Russian gas for two years.

Turkey and Russia may soon have big roles to play in the global political space. 

The two are set to be key players on the issue of Syria after the rebels have taken over.

And if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump wants to fulfill his call this week for a ceasefire in Ukraine, relying on the relationship between Erdogan and Putin could be a pathway toward a deal.

For Straight Arrow News, I’m Craig Nigrelli.

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