We are stuck between America and Russia again

We have a brand new crisis, good for us! President Erdoğan met with Trump in America, where he went for the United Nations General Assembly. He met, but upon his return, Turkey is back in its classic position: Washington on one side, Moscow on the other.

Actually, this picture is no surprise. For years, we purged experienced diplomats who were belittled as "mon chers." In their place, "our boys," chosen for their loyalty rather than their diplomacy, were appointed. The result? Our foreign policy creates a new crisis every day.

As for Trump… He is one of the most volatile politicians in the world. He put on his show at the press conference again, throwing words here and there. President Erdoğan, meanwhile, settled for what the interpreter translated. But no one there stood up and said, "Mr. President, Trump is not actually praising you; he is outright belittling you." The remark, "You know best about rigged elections," was a direct insult. Yet even Zelensky, the comedian-turned-president of Ukraine, was able to respond to Trump's insolence in the middle of a war. Not a peep came from our delegation.

The issue is not whether Erdoğan knows English or not. The issue is that the massive delegation accompanying him cannot intervene. That is the real crisis.

At the press conference, Trump demanded that Turkey stop purchasing energy from Russia. At that very moment, an energy deal was being signed at the table. Within minutes, the response came from the Kremlin: "Turkey makes decisions according to its own interests." Because the TurkStream and Blue Stream pipelines are vital for Russia. If these lines close, in an environment where Nord Stream is also out of commission, all of Russia's ties with Europe will be severed. So, this is not a matter of "don't buy from there, buy from here" as Trump says. But the US's threatening policy is clear. We were previously removed from the F-35 program, and we leaned toward Russia and bought the S-400s. The result? We have neither the F-35s nor can we use the S-400s. We are heading toward another backroom deal that will cost Turkey dearly. We were one of the producers in the F-35 program. Currently, the concessions we would make to return to the program would only allow us to return as a customer. And to return to this project as a customer, our energy supply from Russia is being jeopardized.

But it didn't end there. There was a completely different topic between the lines: The Halki Seminary. Erdoğan said, "We will do whatever is required of us."

Now, this is critical. Because the Halki issue is not just a school issue. This school, opened in 1844, was established to train Orthodox clergy. After the Constitutional Court's decision in 1971, it was intended to be affiliated with state universities like other private higher education institutions. When the Patriarchate did not accept this, the school closed. It has been at the center of debates ever since. 12 patriarchs, including Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, were trained here.

The Patriarchate's demand is not simple: "Ecumenicity." That is, not just being a religious institution serving the Greek Orthodox community in Istanbul, but being the center of the world's Orthodox Christians. Legally, Turkey does not recognize this. According to the Treaty of Lausanne, the Patriarchate is only an institution for the community in Istanbul. But politically, there is another picture. Patriarch Bartholomew introduces himself as the "Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome." When he goes to Greece, he is welcomed with ceremonies like a head of state. In the Orthodox world, he is treated as the leader of a 300-million-strong community.

Here is the question: Erdoğan said, at Trump's request regarding Halki, "We are ready to do whatever is required of us regarding the Halki Seminary. When I return, I will have the opportunity to discuss this issue with Mr. Bartholomew." But will he meet with Bartholomew as a Turkish citizen, or with the title of "Ecumenical Patriarch" as Trump demands?

The crux of the matter is exactly here. Because this is a subject directly related to Turkey's sovereignty, beyond Lausanne. But is there any diplomatic wisdom left that can explain this to Erdoğan clearly? I don't think so. Because instead of those experienced diplomats who were shown the door as "mon chers," only 'our boys' are sitting there. Remember, we have seen people appointed as ambassadors without knowing a single word of English, with an interpreter given to them...

What Turkey needs is not those who nod and say, "You know best." It needs statesmen who have the courage to show the truth even to the person at the very top.