New Delhi: Turkey has played a dangerous double game. This time, not only with India but with Russia as well. Ankara secretly armed Ukraine with deadly Bayraktar TB2 drones, which Kyiv used to destroy at least 40 Russian fighter jets last week, even while publicly maintaining ties with the Kremlin.
This military support came at a time when Turkey was giving Russian tourists and companies a safe haven by defying Western sanctions. But behind the scenes, it was also cozying up to the United States and the NATO.
Analysts believe the drone supply was Turkey’s way of winning points with Washington, even if it meant putting a knife in Putin’s back.
Drone Diplomacy or Deception?
The Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 has become one of the world’s most lethal combat drones. It is sleek in design and deadly in execution and can carry out both precision strikes and surveillance.
Ukraine received 72 drones between 2019 and 2022. Turkey allegedly sent eight more units after the war began.
These drones have allowed Ukraine to carry out devastating attacks deep inside Russian territory and damage or destroy more than 40 Russian military aircraft.
Why is Turkey Doing This?
Experts suggest Turkey’s real motive lies not in helping Ukraine win the war but in pleasing the United States and NATO. As a NATO member, Turkey constantly faces pressure from the West to cut ties with Moscow.
Supplying drones gave it a way to appear loyal to the alliance, even while pretending to be neutral in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Ironically, this is the same Turkey that has opposed Western sanctions against Russia, kept its airspace open to Russian tourists and allowed Russian businesses to relocate to Turkish soil.
Russia Feels Betrayed
For Moscow, the drone revelation is nothing short of a betrayal. Kremlin officials have reportedly called it a “stab in the back”. Russia now sees Turkey’s diplomatic double-speak as a strategic threat.
President Putin, who had maintained a working relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan despite geopolitical differences, is said to be furious over Ankara’s duplicity.
Meanwhile, Turkey is attempting to position itself as a mediator in the global arena, claiming it wants peace while arming one side in a war.
Trust Lost on All Fronts
This latest episode has also damaged Turkey’s standing with India. New Delhi has long suspected Ankara of siding with Pakistan on Kashmir, and this fresh betrayal of Russia, a close Indian defense ally, only adds to the mistrust.
In trying to play all sides, Muslim world “leader”, Western ally and “neutral” peace broker, Turkey may end up losing the trust of all. As global tensions rise, Ankara’s balancing act is looking less like diplomacy and more like deception.
Despite overt ties with Russia, Turkey’s covert support to Ukraine has exposed a major fault line in global diplomacy. For India and Russia, this may serve as a warning that Erdogan’s Turkey is no longer a reliable partner.
