The Federation Council said that the transfer of Azov leaders to Ukraine makes Turkey an unfriendly country

Turkey may become an unfriendly country due to the transfer of the commanders of the Ukrainian Azov battalion (recognized as terrorist in Russia and banned) to Ukraine. This was stated by Viktor Bondarev, Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security.

“Türkiye gradually and steadily continues to turn from a neutral country into an unfriendly one. <...> The Turkish authorities handed over to Kyiv the leaders of the terrorist organization “Azov”, who were supposed to be actually under house arrest in Turkey until the end of the NMD, – said Bondarev in an interview with TASS.

He noted that Turkey “deliberately ignored” the agreements, and also spoke out “for the accelerated admission of Ukraine to NATO and the construction of a plant for attack drones in Ukraine.” According to the senator, the reasons for this step were both pressure from NATO and the actual termination of the grain deal – the last time it was extended until July 17.

The fighters and commanders of the Ukrainian battalion ended up in Turkey in the fall of 2022. Then Moscow and Kyiv, through the mediation of Ankara, exchanged prisoners of war. According to Ukraine, Russia handed over 215 people to Ukraine, including over a hundred fighters and five Azov commanders, as well as ten mercenaries. Russia was transferred, including Ukrainian businessman and politician Viktor Medvedchuk. As Zelensky reported, the Azov commanders who returned from captivity will remain in Turkey until the end of hostilities in Ukraine.

On July 7, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky visited Istanbul, where he met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Zelenskiy later announced his return to Ukraine, along with five Azov commanders.

Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov declaredthat such a step violates the agreements on the part of Kyiv and Ankara. He also noted that the military had to remain in Turkey until the end of the conflict. In addition, according to him, Turkey was “forced” to take such a step on the eve of the NATO summit, which will be held in Vilnius on July 11-12.

On July 8, Erdogan also declaredthat Ukraine deserves NATO membership. The Turkish leader, after meeting with Zelensky, noted that Turkey has made the greatest efforts to end the conflict through negotiations based on international law.