MOSCOW, Mar 29 — News. Even if If Turkey were a member of the EU, it would still pursue a policy independent of the West, including its relations with Russia, Elmira Imamkulieva, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs at the Higher School of Economics, said.
«Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is not one of those who puts all his eggs in one basket. Let me even express this thought, if Ankara were a member of the EU, it would still pursue an independent policy, including its relations with Russia,» she said.
Turkey, in her opinion, cannot be ignored, she is too big a player. «Suffice it to say that in terms of population in Europe — almost 85 million people — Turkey is comparable only with Germany and France, all other countries of the region were not even close,» the expert noted.
She also added that, of course, Turkey has to maneuver.
«And Erdogan does it very well. He knows how to hold his own line, pursue his own political and economic course. Which cannot but impress the citizens of the country, who see in him in this way a strong geopolitical leader capable of solving difficult economic problems «, — said Imamkulieva.