Expert: Turke's statements about peacekeepers are attempts to strengthen his own influence

A similar point of view was voiced by Ukrainian MP Mykhailo Yakubovich, who commented on the situation for Ukrinform.

“Turkey seeks to remain an important partner of all significant political forces in order to maintain its influence and advance certain interests of its own. This is a goal that Erdogan has been striving for for a long time, and along with Turkey's “soft power” in relations with other states, it has already borne fruit in many aspects,” he added.

Read also: Türke calls for a speedy ceasefire and peace agreement – MFA

Turkey traditionally positions itself not only as a mediator, but also as a significant player, the expert notes, emphasizing that the country's authorities are trying to demonstrate their role in important negotiations and make corresponding statements, for example, about supporting Ukraine on the issue of joining NATO or the deployment of peacekeeping contingents.

“Turkey has long been integrated into the Western security system (it has been a NATO ally since 1952, practically since the creation of the Alliance), which allows it to act in this direction. By talking about a possible peacekeeping operation in Ukraine, the Turks are demonstrating their military influence,” Yakubovich explained.

According to the expert, the Turkish army surpasses the armed forces of many Western European countries in its potential and combat capability, since it has significant investments, is well trained and is constantly in a state of readiness. However, Ukraine is unlikely to receive real security guarantees from Turkey, the specialist believes.

“Basically, they are not interested in our processes, they simply create the appearance that the Turks are part of a big game,” Yakubovich noted.

Read also: Türkiye ready to support Ukraine's NATO membership

Last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Bloomberg Television that Türke was not against Ukraine joining NATO. Bloomberg also reported that Türke was ready to send his soldiers to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping force. President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the peacekeeping mission with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a recent visit to Ankara. On March 2, Fidan attended an emergency summit on the situation in Ukraine in London.