With his latest moves, Erdoğan is not starting a crisis but instead highlighting a framework for justice and a lasting alliance in Turkey’s relations with NATO, the U.S. and Greece
What are the general guidelines for passage through the Turkish Straits according to the Montreux Convention? Is it legally possible for Ukraine and Russia to send their warships through the straits during the ongoing war? Is Turkey obligated to block the passage of both Ukrainian and Russian warships? Should warships of other states that may come to aid Ukraine be allowed to pass? What is Turkey’s approach towards implementing the Montreux Convention?
New opportunities will emerge for Turkey and Greece if they can diplomatically resolve their problems. However, both sides, especially the Greek and the Greek Cypriots, were conditioned to be confrontational in their discourse with Turkey.
The Greek foreign minister’s populist behavior, an obvious attempt to impress nationalist voters at home, established, without a shadow of a doubt, which country was being unreasonable.
The European Union and the United States were approaching Turkey using the language of sanctions and political pressure rather than empathy and genuine understanding of the country's vulnerabilities.