Despite the positive development of relations between Turkey and Russia, Ankara’s position regarding the recognition of the Russian status of Crimea has not changed. This was announced by the head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry Mevlut Cavusoglu , AMN News reports.
“Our relations with Russia are developing positively and we will keep in touch with Russia at the next stage,” the diplomat said at a press conference on Wednesday, December 30. At the same time, Cavusoglu stressed that Turkey’s position on Crimea will not change.
Earlier in Crimea, explained Turkey’s unwillingness to recognize the status of the peninsula. So, according to the Permanent Representative of Crimea under the President of Russia Georgy Muradov , this is due to the interest the peninsula belongs to “degrading and crumbling Ukraine with the prospect of the subsequent receipt of territorial acquisitions”.
In October, the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a press conference with the President Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky stated that Turkey does not recognize the” illegal annexation “of Crimea by Russia, supporting the territorial integrity of Ukraine. He added that he considers Ukraine a key country capable of ensuring Turkey’s stability and security.
Crimea became part of Russia after a referendum held in March 2014, in which the majority of the region’s residents who voted supported such a decision. Ukraine and Western countries refused to recognize the results of the plebiscite.