Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey: Caught Between Russia and the West

As the war in Ukraine continues to cause more devastation and casualties, countries around the world, particularly Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, have had to make difficult choices in their policies, public statements and votes in international organizations. Despite concerns about Turkey’s inconsistent positions, it is clear that neither Russia nor the West is willing to push Turkey to the opposing camp. President Erdogan’s senior advisor Ibrahim Kalin pompously told CNN that Western countries have urged Turkey to maintain its ties with Russia, which is highly unlikely. Erdogan was quoted as saying: “We can neither give up on Ukraine nor Russia.” This is described as “strategic ambiguity.”