Image Source: DW
Tuesday will mark only the second international trip Russian President Vladimir Putin has embarked on since he invade Ukraine
Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran will both meet with Mr. Putin.
According to a Turkish official, Tehran will feature discussions on grain exports, Syria, and Ukraine.
Since the conflict in Ukraine began, the Russian president has restricted his travel to former Soviet Union countries.
In June, Mr. Putin traveled to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, both of which were once members of the USSR and are now ruled by autocrats and Russian friends. This was his first international trip since February.
Putin will have the chance to strengthen ties with Iran during his visit on Tuesday, one of Moscow’s few remaining friends and a country that is also a target of Western economic sanctions.
It comes in response to claims made by US officials last week that Tehran intended to give Russia hundreds of drones to use in its conflict in Ukraine. And on Tuesday, the state oil firm of Iran and the Russian energy behemoth Gazprom inked a new development agreement for $40 million (£33 million).
After invading Ukraine, Russia suffered significant losses. As a result, Moscow has become a pariah in the West.
However, the Kremlin is eager to demonstrate that international sanctions have not succeeded in isolating Russia, the largest nation on earth and that some of its allies like Iran and Turkey are still there.
Russia continues to bank on allies’ support
Russia will use the three-way summit on Syria to try and show that it still has strong allies and geopolitical clout.
But this isn’t a BFF situation (Best Friends Forever). Iran and Turkey are also adversaries of Russia. As rivals for influence in the South Caucasus and Syria, Russia and Turkey are on opposing sides in Libya and Syria, respectively. Turkish combat drones have been assisting the Ukrainian military. Iran is in direct competition with Russia on the world energy market.
Iran, Turkey, and Russia indeed share some interests. However, that does not ensure a permanent friendship.
Turkey and Russia have supported opposing factions in the Syrian civil war, and in recent months, they have been looking for methods to lessen the carnage.
However, the meeting takes place as Iran and Russia both reject Turkey’s intentions to launch a new offensive in northern Syria against US-backed Kurdish militants. The operation is a part of Mr. Erdogan’s plans to establish a safe zone along Turkey’s border with Syria for 30 kilometers (20 miles).
After Russia first opposed a proposal for a one-year extension, the UN Security Council last week decided to reauthorize cross-border assistance delivery to Syria, which is controlled by rebels, for another six months.
Since Mr. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine began on February 24th, Ankara has refrained from imposing sanctions on Moscow in an effort to serve as a mediator.
The meeting could provide the Turkish president with a chance to finalize a provisional agreement reached between the presidents of Russia and Ukraine to enable the sale of 22 million tonnes of grain that is urgently needed.
The safety of grain ship transportation lanes had been agreed upon, according to the defense minister of Turkey last week.
According to reports, Russia’s Black Sea fleet is preventing any shipments from entering or leaving, and the BBC has compiled growing proof that Moscow’s forces have stolen and exported Ukrainian grain. In addition, heavy mining has been done on other routes.
However, the discussions take place as local authorities and farmers close to the front lines of the battle accuse Russia of purposefully bombarding grain farms.
Farmers in his constituency near the southern city of Mykolaiv were constantly under artillery and missile fire, according to Oleh Pylypenko, a local politician in southern Ukraine and a former Russian prisoner.
