The shooting down of a Russian warplane by Turkey adds further fuel to an area already on fire with tension. It is clear that the conflicting interests in the area undermined the efforts to create a common European-American-Russian front against the jihadists after the Paris attacks.
It is also known that with its stance on the refugee crisis and the civil conflict in Syria, Turkey is attempted to secure what it considers its strategic interests and maximize its gains. The goal of the buffer zone that Turkey wants to create to north of its borders is to cut off the Kurds and support the Turkmen minority in the area. These goals do not necessarily compatible with the tactics used by the West against the jihadist terrorists or Russia interests.
The escalation of tension in the area is not just causing problems to the potential alliance between the West and Russia; it is also indirectly prompting reactions in the region. It is not coincidence that after a break that lasted a few days, the flow of refugees to Lesvos resumed along with the pressure on Greece, with the situation at the borders in the north of the country becoming increasingly difficult due to the limitations imposed by the neighboring countries.
It is obvious that the war against the jihadists demands the broadest possible alliance and the West joining forces with Russia. Turkey is undermining this alliance for its own domestic or geostrategic reasons. The Greek government is called upon to manage this problematic situation, wile under pressure from many European countries on the management of refugee flows. This is a difficult exercise in political balance, as the Greek government is forced to cooperate with Turkey, a well as take into considerations the interests and demands of the rest of its allies.
TO VIMA
