GÜNCEL YAZILAR - Sedat Laçiner

By Sedat Laciner History makes one thing clear: geography is destiny—especially for Russia. For centuries, Russia’s strategic ambitions have been shaped by its vast landmass, its relative isolation from warm-water ports, and its constant insecurity over territorial vulnerability. Nowhere is this more evident than in its historic confrontations with the Ottoman Empire. From the Crimea to the Caucasus, Russian armies once surged southward, even reaching the gates of Istanbul. The conquest of Kars and the push toward the Bosphorus and Dardanelles were not isolated maneuvers, but parts of a centuries-long struggle for access to warm seas and maritime dominance. Had Russia ever managed to control Anatolia and secure access to the Mediterranean via the Turkish Straits, it might have permanently altered the global balance of power. This unfulfilled strategic dream continues to haunt the Kremlin. Indeed, it is not a temporary ambition, but a recurring goal—one that seems poised to endure for a...

By Sedat LAÇİNER * New World Order?: Have Putin and Trump divided the world between them? While the US remains silent about Russia's attacks on Ukraine, Putin says "it's none of our business" about the US's Greenland plans... The relationship between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be entering a new phase, one that could unsettle the international community. Observers fear that the two leaders may be carving up global influence in a manner reminiscent of the Yalta Conference. Speaking in Murmansk , the world’s largest city north of the Arctic Circle, Putin addressed Trump’s stated intention to annex Greenland. “This is a matter concerning two specific nations and has nothing to do with Russia,” he said, framing the issue as an affair between the United States and Denmark. Putin ’s remarks suggest a calculated indifference—an implicit signal that Russia would not oppose U.S. control over Greenland. The Russian leade...

Russian President Vladimir Putin has cautioned against underestimating U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland , calling it a continuation of longstanding American strategic interests in the Arctic. Speaking in Murmansk on Thursday, Putin noted that the United States has pursued control of the mineral-rich territory for over a century. “It is a profound mistake to treat it as some preposterous talk by the new U.S. administration. Nothing of the sort,” Putin said, referring to Trump’s stated intent to annex Greenland. He added that U.S. ambitions date back to the 1860s and that Washington had previously sought to purchase Greenland from Denmark after World War II. “In short, the United States has serious plans regarding Greenland. These plans have long historical roots, and it is obvious that the United States will continue to consistently advance its geo-strategic, military-political, and economic interests in the Arctic,” Putin stated. His remarks come as U.S. Vice Pr...

Zelenskyy Signals Willingness to Work Under Trump’s Leadership, Pushes for Security Agreement Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed readiness to sign a minerals and security agreement with the United States and to collaborate under Donald Trump’s leadership if he returns to the White House. While acknowledging that his recent meeting with Trump "did not go the way it was supposed to," Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to peace and praised the former U.S. president for previously supplying Javelin anti-tank missiles to Kyiv. Call for Peace and Negotiations In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s desire for an end to the war and emphasized the need for negotiations to secure lasting peace. "None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President ...

Officials within the U.S. administration are resisting the inclusion of language explicitly identifying Russia as the aggressor in a forthcoming G7 statement marking the third anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This stance has the potential to undermine the traditional display of unity among member states, according to five Western officials who spoke to the Financial Times . “We firmly believe that a clear distinction must be made between Russia and Ukraine. They are not equivalent,” stated an official with direct knowledge of the discussions. U.S. representatives have opposed the use of the term "Russian aggression" and similar characterizations that G7 leaders have consistently employed since 2022 to describe the conflict, the officials reported. Notably, last year’s G7 leaders' statement referenced Russia’s aggression on five separate occasions. According to two individuals familiar with the matter, the Trump administration’s insistence on moderat...