Vladimir Putin’s threats to disrupt Ukraine grain exports in the Black Sea threaten to bring a nuclear-capable Turkey into play, he should be very very careful, writes Alp Sevimlisoy.
As the war in Ukraine continues, the Oval Office must help strengthen the status of independent nation states, aligning their political direction to “Atlanticism”.
Atlanticism enshrines Western values of liberal democracy and personal freedom and stands against “Eurasianism” which represents authoritarian rule and limited liberty.
We must halt attempts by Beijing and the Kremlin to subvert the rules based global international order.
To this end the placement of hypersonic missiles will complement existing strategic deterrence as per NATO’s long-standing tactical nuclear policy.
Extending hypersonic missile capabilities to Turkey (which already hosts American nuclear weapons) would ensure the security goals of both Turkey and NATO at a time when the Russian Federation is actively testing its own hypersonic facilities in the Black Sea.
Turkey is also to take delivery of both the American F-16 and F-35 fighters which will underscore the power of the Transatlantic Alliance itself.
And Turkey has developed its own Missile Defence units – the domestic Tayfun and Siper models but the arrival of the upgraded F-16s and the F-35s will underscore the renewed importance placed by both countries on the new Turkish-American alliance.
This would be further complemented via delivery of Eurofighters via the immensely close links that have emerged between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Turkey.
The US has sanctioned the F 16s and F 35s as it sees Turkey as the only pan-Continental power capable of containing threats both in its region and beyond.
The aircraft further elevate the Turkish Nation, a country which posses one of the strongest armed forces in NATO.
US citizens want protection of both the American homeland as well as those of its allies, especially as they see the valiant operations of the Ukrainians in taking back their country.
So meeting Turkey’s security needs and concerns is vital s it is the only NATO partner with the necessary prowess capable of safeguarding the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, the Middle East, Africa and the Pacific together with the US and UK.
It is clear that as the Turkish Republic and the Turkish Armed Forces have become the major power in the region.
Russia will now and forevermore bow to Turkish power as the introduction of the TCG Anadolu aircraft carrier in the coming months will further underscore both the security of a new bilateral Turkish-Ukrainian grain.
These factors in tandem with the renewed military alliance via the US-Turkish Mechanism (as outlined since 2022) in tandem with the forging of the military alliance between the United Kingdom and the Turkish Republic as well as the desire by EUCOM & the Pentagon to protect the Eastern and Southern Flanks of NATO, all underline the emergence of a pan-continental power that is Turkey.
This shall soon move towards the integration of hypersonic missiles into its arsenal in unison with the US commitment to modernise existing tactical nuclear capabilities already held in the country.
Alp Sevimlisoy is an Istanbul-based Geopolitical Strategist, Defence Policy Adviser and National Security Expert on NATO’s role within the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Middle East.
Alp Sevimlisoy originally featured as per: Daily Express
