THE PROBLEM OF THE DE-OCCUPATION OF CRIMEA IN TURKISH-UKRAINIAN RELATIONS DURING THE ARMED AGGRESSION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AGAINST UKRAINE (2014–2023)

The relevance of the research topic is determined by the crucial role of the Republic of Turkey concerning the de-occupation of Crimea and the support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in general. At the scientific level, a coherent and comprehensive study of this important problem has not yet been published. Before the annexation of Ukrainian Crimea by Russia in 2014, one of the significant areas of cooperation between Turkey and Ukraine was their joint efforts to support the Crimean Tatar people, who were returning to Crimea after harrowing deportation by the Soviet regime to Central Asia in 1944. During that time, several joint Ukrainian-Turkish projects were implemented in Crimea, particularly in the economic and cultural spheres, aimed at the rehabilitated Crimean Tatar population. These projects included the construction of schools with Crimean Tatar language instruction, the launch of periodicals in the Crimean Tatar language, economic development, local infrastructure improvement, property acquisitions for representatives of the Crimean Tatar ethnic group, and more. After the criminal annexation of Ukrainian Crimea by Russia in February-March 2014, the Republic of Turkey unequivocally expressed its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This support was particularly evident during discussions and voting at the United Nations, as well as in meetings between the two countries’ presidents and at forums like the “Crimean Platform,” which has been held since 2021, etc. Turkey is making significant efforts to protect the rights and freedoms of the fraternal Crimean Tatar people, who were among the first victims of Russia’s criminal repressive machinery. For instance, Ankara has facilitated the release of some political prisoners of Crimean Tatar ethnicity and has assisted in the resettlement and support of Crimean Tatars who were forced to temporarily move to the mainland of Ukraine. Crimea holds a foremost place in Turkey’s security concept in the Black Sea region. Despite Turkey not fully aligning with anti-Russian sanctions, even after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and even offering shelter to Russian businesses seeking to evade Western sanctions, its position on Crimea has consistently been unequivocal. Considering Russia as its main geopolitical rival in the Black Sea, Ankara is unquestionably interested in seeing the return of this strategically important peninsula to Ukraine. There is no doubt about this, the Turkish side will actively participate in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, primarily Crimea, as an integral part of Ukraine. Turkish officials have been emphasizing this repeatedly.