Will Ankara’s support for Syria strikes impact Turkish-Russian ties?

Turkey’s open defiance of Russia — by enthusiastically supporting the airstrikes by the United States, France and Britain against Syrian regime targets — has raised new questions about the consistency of Ankara’s Syrian policies and the manner in which it conducts its foreign policy in general.

It is not clear, for example, what effect Turkey’s position will have on its burgeoning ties with Russia, which Ankara has been keen to develop as a counterbalance to its deteriorating ties with the West.

It is also unclear if Turkey is now leaning toward the West, with which it has extremely tense relations over a host of issues — including differences over Syria. 

Continuing to cooperate with Russia remains vital for Ankara if it is to achieve some of its principal aims in Syria, especially with regard to preventing an autonomous and predominantly Kurdish entity from emerging along its borders.