The interests have made Russia ignore the Turkish attack against its plane just like it ignored the murder of the Russian ambassador to Turkey. If we think about the Russian Turkish relations, we would discover the mutual interests that are more powerful than blood. We would also discover that these interests have started five centuries ago.
Russian-Turkish relations began when Ivan III, governor of Russia in 1492 exchanged letters with the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II on maritime trade between the two countries. The Russian embassy was opened in 1701 in Constantinople. The diplomatic relations between Turkey and Russia started in 1991.
Turkish-Russian relations are primarily based on economic ties that prevent any degradation, especially with the existence of “the Supreme Council for Turkish-Russian Cooperation” Russia is considered the most important supplier of natural gas to Turkey, as nearly half of Turkish imports of natural gas and 12% of its oil imports come from Russia. Turkey is a very important trade partner with Russia and the most important tourist place for Russian tourism.
The two countries have signed more than sixty agreements in various areas of cooperation, especially in the electric power and building cargo ships and maritime transport areas. They exchange trading with more than $ 33 billion annually, and is expected to rise to one hundred billion by the year 2023.
66% of tourism companies in Russia are Russian Turkish capital, which may play a critical role in the delayed resumption of Russian flight to Egypt.
Turkey is maneuvering to its relations with Russia as equivalent with its membership in NATO and its relations with America as well as the EU.
The relations between Turkey and Russia have many complicated equations away from religions and beliefs. Russian is Christian Orthodox, and Turkey is Sunni Muslims, Iran is Shiite, while Syria is Shiite with slightly different beliefs. We should realize in Egypt that interests are the real equation in relations away from religions and beliefs. Countries should realize that religious conflict has nothing to do with politics. It’s time to reconsider the matter and study the region.
