Despite global crises, Moscow and Ankara have demonstrated a consistent ability to maintain essential bilateral cooperation, with one expert describing Russian-Turkish relations as a “geopolitical miracle.”
Fyodor Lukyanov, Research Director of the Valdai International Discussion Club, made the observation during the XVI Asian Conference of the Valdai Club, organized in partnership with the Ankara Institute.
“If we examine the list of Russian and Turkish interests, we find that they diverge on most issues,” Lukyanov noted. “They aren't necessarily contradictory, but they rarely align perfectly.”
“Yet over the past decade, despite recurring and new crises of varying scales and origins, Russia and Turkey have consistently shown the capacity to overcome specific problems and continue the necessary cooperation both sides require,” he emphasized.
“In my view, this represents something of a geopolitical miracle—especially considering our shared history, centuries of rivalry dating back 200–300 years,” the analyst added.
Lukyanov raised a crucial question: Do Russian-Turkish relations represent a model that could be replicated elsewhere, including in regional contexts, or are they a unique case shaped by geographic factors and close personal ties between the countries' leaders?
The XVI Asian Conference of the Valdai Club, organized in partnership with the Ankara Institute, is being held in Istanbul on November 10-11. The event has brought together over 40 experts from various countries under the theme “Eurasia in a Divided World.” Organizers noted that this Asian Valdai conference marks the club's first major gathering since its successful XXII Annual Meeting, held in Sochi in September-October 2025.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Based on materials from TASS