Ukrainian Ambassador explains how Türkiye reacting to war in Gaza Strip
Photo: Vasyl Bodnar, Ukraine's Ambassador to Türkiye (Getty Images)
Turkish society reacts very emotionally to the war in Gaza. Therefore, the government cannot ignore the situation in the neighboring region, states Ukraine's Ambassador to Türkiye, Vasyl Bodnar, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
"For Türkiye, the Middle East is a neighboring region. Naturally, it is quite unstable, and each escalation in the situation provokes an extremely strong reaction in Türkiye. Turkish society reacts very emotionally and even aggressively to the ongoing war in Gaza, with accusations directed at Israel and the West. This intensifies anti-Western rhetoric and sentiments within Türkiye's political environment. Accordingly, the government cannot remain passive," explained the ambassador.
He noted that Türkiye has already made quite sharp statements both towards Israel and regarding the possibility of intervention in one form or another.
"In fact, Türkiye's interest is to achieve fair conditions for a ceasefire and subsequently establish a just peace. In this case, Türkiye considers it one of the volatile regions and is trying to influence the situation through diplomatic means," the ambassador added.
Türkiye's Statements on Israel
After the Hamas attack in October of last year and the start of the IDF's military operation in the Gaza Strip, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called Israel a "war criminal" and "occupier."
In response, Tel Aviv even recalled its diplomats from Türkiye.
In the spring, Erdoğan stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israeli leadership, in general, bear exclusive responsibility for the recent escalation of tension in the Middle East.
At the same time, the US urged Türkiye and other allies with connections to Iran to help reduce tension in the Middle East.
