The strange and opportunistic partnership between Turkey and Russia was on full display in the Black Sea this week, as the two sides conducted joint naval exercisessure to irk NATO.Newsweek: <\/p>\n
Russias Black Sea Fleet joined the Turkish navy in the strategic body of water, which has been a source ofheightened tensions due to parallel military exercisesby Russia and members of NATO, of which Turkey was a part. [] <\/p>\n
As part ofthe drill, ships ofthe two countries practiced exit froma naval base, joint maneuvering and communication, aswell asrepelling an attack ofa small-sized high-speed target, an inspection operation, search forand rescue ofa person inthe water, Trukhachev told reporters, according to RussiasSputnik News. <\/p>\n
In one sense, this is a dynamic that has been obvious for a while:Turkey is restless and Russia is happy to be a flirt. Erdogan, for his part, has been fanning the flames of anti-Western sentiment at home leading up to the bigreferendumon expanding the powers of the Presidency. Doing war games with Russia serves similar domestic needs: it signalsthat Turkeyhas geopolitical options outside Western institutions, and that Erdogan has global clout. For Russia, the drills providea golden opportunity to pick at growing schism between NATO allies. <\/p>\n
At the end of the day, everyone concernedknows that there are strict limits to the relationship between Russia and Turkey. (Its already a Potemkin friendship.) But games like this are not without consequence.Themistrust being generated is real, and will impact the Alliance going forward. <\/p>\n
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Read the original post: The strange and opportunistic partnership between Turkey and Russia was on full display in the Black Sea this week, as the two sides conducted joint naval exercisessure to irk NATO.Newsweek: Russias Black Sea Fleet joined the Turkish navy in the strategic body of water, which has been a source ofheightened tensions due to parallel military exercisesby Russia and members of NATO, of which Turkey was a part. [] As part ofthe drill, ships ofthe two countries practiced exit froma naval base, joint maneuvering and communication, aswell asrepelling an attack ofa small-sized high-speed target, an inspection operation, search forand rescue ofa person inthe water, Trukhachev told reporters, according to RussiasSputnik News. In one sense, this is a dynamic that has been obvious for a while:Turkey is restless and Russia is happy to be a flirt. Continue reading
\nTurkey and Russia Troll NATO in the Black Sea - The American Interest<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"