Filenews 25 June 2025 - by Kostas Venizelos
The ongoing war in the region is causing new shocks of uncertainty and destabilization. And within this extreme war scene, new balances are formed. Sometimes these are balances of terror.
Through a harsh process of redistribution of power, the games of domination are no longer played in a political and diplomatic way, but in a polemical way. And the victory will be the result of war. And the... Winners in addition to the "laurels", will also control the area.
In this equation of geopolitical upheavals, occupying Turkey is attempting to find itself, although it does not participate in the war. It is a country, after all, that is stepping on two boats and attempting to strengthen itself with movements, most of the time underground.
Ankara, as is well known, has as a compass the grandiose plans, which refer to Erdogan's vision for the revival of the "Ottoman Empire". The Turkish President now sees opportunities ahead of him for the realization of these aspirations.
As for what has been happening in recent days with the US and Israeli attacks on Iran, it is clear that Ankara is being served by the weakening of the regime in Tehran. He does not, however, want a great victory for Israel in this war for obvious reasons. In such a case, the occupying power's plans to become the first violin in the Middle East would be affected. Its main opponent is Israel, and despite the rhetorical support for Tehran, it is clear that it serves it either to defeat and weaken Iran, or even to collapse. In any case, Turkey will rush to fill the vacuum that will be created. To make this the rival awe of Israel. As Brandon J. Weichert points out in an opinion piece in National Interest, "For Turkey to regain its historic dominance in the Middle East, it must get rid of its competitors. And while he has sought stable relations with Iran, Erdogan certainly does not want a powerful Persian, Shiite power to dominate the heart of the Middle East. He would prefer an Iran that is weak and divided." At the same time, it is clear that Ankara, seeing Israel as a competing power, is employing extreme rhetoric against it. However, it is a general assessment that there will be no serious deterioration in their relations, and this is a choice of both. Public debate is controlled as there are channels of communication. Officials of the two countries meet and discuss issues of avoiding tensions. These contacts take place in "hospitable" places for both capitals, such as, for example, Baku, Azerbaijan. After all, both Israel and Turkey, both occupying powers, have a common friend, the United States. And that's not all, which is a given over time. It is the US that is led by Donald Trump, who has probably forgotten that he declared before and after the election that he would keep his country away from wars and that he wanted to end military conflicts. In the midst of his general amnesia and his own permanent aphasia, he attacks militarily.
Therefore, although there is obviously a competition for their dominance in the region, Ankara and Tel Aviv have set limits. Limits, which can be differentiated depending on developments, but also overcome.
Turkey, of course, is also playing on the Ukrainian issue. The mediation effort between Russia and Ukraine has a strategic dimension, as does an economic one. Economic and trade relations between Turkey and Russia have been significantly strengthened, mainly with regard to the import of Russian petroleum products. An opinion piece by Reuters states that Turkey absorbs 21 percent of Russia's exports. And this in hypocrisy, the Europeans are flirting with Ankara and at the same time renewing the sanctions against Moscow. This relationship does not seem to bother Washington, nor the Europeans, who are in deep lethargy.
