The Istanbul Attack Could Bring Turkey and Russia Together

Blake Franko

Security, Middle East

Ankara must secure Moscow’s support in the fight against ISIS.

On June 30, black-clad gunmen opened fire and detonated suicide vests at Istanbul's Ataturk airport, killing forty-two. This tragedy was the latest repercussion of the chaos engulfing Syria. If President Erdoğan were a gambling man, he would be broke by now. Recent Turkish foreign policy has been rife with failures, most notably the bet that President Assad would fall. Marginalized by the West for “Neo-Ottoman” excesses, Erdoğan turned to Putin, that is, until Turkey downed a Russian jet in November 2015. Erdoğan’s attempt to convey resolve to his base was costly. Russia boycotted Turkish goods and barred travel to the country—a problem exacerbated by terror attacks. Ankara has a window of opportunity to mend ties with regional players, namely Moscow, acquire a better seat at the postwar Syria negotiating table and renew its global image in the process. Wednesday’s terror attack, apparently perpetrated by Russian, Uzbek and Kyrgyz nationals at the behest of ISIS, could Turkish and Russian interests into alignment. Ankara would be well advised to secure Russian cooperation in the fight against ISIS.

Turkey should continue to support the U.S.-led anti-ISIS campaign in addition to pursuing a new partnership with Russia. Turkey’s harassment of journalists and political opposition soured relations with the West; Erdoğan’s subsequent media blitz has fallen on deaf ears in Washington. If Erdoğan is serious about defeating ISIS, he needs to accept that Assad will not be ejected from power and double down on securing peace in Syria. Turkey will be unable to attract tourists in large numbers until ISIS is defeated and Russian sanctions are relaxed. Putin would find this arrangement favorable, as Western sanctions against the Kremlin have taken their toll.