Turkey categorically and permanently refuses to recognize Crimea as Russian, since Crimean Tatars are blood brothers to Turks. Regardless of what Russia does and how it tries to draw Turkey to its side, Ankara will insist on returning Crimea to Ukraine, and then on transferring the peninsula to Crimean Turks so that it would be their land and homeland.
Former Ukrainian Ambassador to Turkey Serhiy Korsunskiy said this in an interview with Yuriy Romanenko.
"Turks will never recognize Crimea because Crimean Turks are their brothers, their blood. Whatever Russia does and however much it wants to draw Turkey to itself, Turks will never recognize Crimea as Russian," the diplomat stated categorically.
According to Korsunskiy, Turkey's policy on Crimea is unchanging: "The policy will always be that Crimea must be returned to Ukraine, and then given to Crimean Tatars, Crimean Turks, so that it would be their land, their homeland in one form or another."
The expert also noted that Turkey will always support Ukraine's NATO membership precisely for reasons related to the Black Sea region. "Why? Because they want to distribute responsibility. When the EU came to the Black Sea coast – Bulgaria, Romania – everyone thought NATO also came to the Black Sea coast. But neither Bulgaria nor Romania has a fleet at all," the diplomat explained.
Korsunskiy emphasized that the sinking of Russia's Black Sea Fleet became an important event for Turks: "We sank the Black Sea Fleet. For which Turks are, of course, grateful to us for life. But we will have a fleet in the future. We're also building frigates with them, right? That is, these are all links in one chain."
The diplomat also reminded about Russia's sacred mission, which is well known in Turkey: "To return to Istanbul its historical name Tsargrad and transfer the Ecumenical Patriarchate to Moscow. They know this, and therefore they will not allow it," Korsunskiy summarized.
