Erdogan uses the truce to prepare a new strike
The Turkish authorities are using the ceasefire agreements reached in Moscow to transfer new forces to the Syrian province of Idlib.
“Turkey, it seems, does not expect compliance with the agreement, otherwise how can it explain the ongoing transfer of its troops to Syrian territory? Military convoys, which include many armored vehicles, fuel tankers, self-propelled guns and rocket launchers, mobile radar systems and trucks with ammunition, are moving in an endless line in a southerly direction. Apparently, Ankara is confident that the Syrian opposition will not last long without its help and that sooner or later it will have to fight in earnest with the troops of Bashar al-Assad. Moreover, the Turkish side expects that Moscow will not allow itself to shell Turkish territory, since this would mean the entry into force of Article 5 (on collective defense) of the NATO Charter. In addition, the United States does not interrupt aerial reconnaissance in the region, and its results are provided to Ankara as a member of the alliance,” writes Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
“There is an opinion that Recep Tayyip Erdogan started negotiations not in order to convince Moscow not to interfere with the actions of Turkish troops in Syria, but for the sake of a pause necessary for the regrouping of opposition forces and the transfer of additional Turkish troops to Syrian territory. Over several weeks of intense fighting, the Turkish Armed Forces have spent a fair amount of expensive precision-guided ammunition, and additional funds and time are required to replenish them,” the publication notes.
Russia and Turkey, it seems, cannot avoid a military clash, Berlin-based political scientist Alexander Sosnovsky shared his concerns on the PolitWera Internet channel, reports PolitNavigator correspondent.
“It’s only a matter of time before Russia and Turkey directly clash on this field. I think there will be a war with Turkey. Perhaps it will not be large-scale, it will be on a separate piece of Syrian territory. I think this cannot be avoided,” Sosnovsky said.
“Erdogan lost on all counts. He lost on all counts because he clearly went too far and his desire to recreate a new Janissary empire may be good from the point of view of a Turkish subject, but from the point of view of everyone else who is around, it does not correspond to reality. This is a very difficult time for Erdogan. It’s not that he asked for a truce and went to a truce, having arrived in Moscow, he came to Moscow, showing that he had no stone in his soul, that he was not ready to fight. But we understand everything perfectly well - there is a stone, and it is ready to fight,” the expert warns.
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