No matter how valuable the efforts of the international community may be, Erdogan will have the final say

After quite some time, the Cyprus issue is back at the top of the news agenda. The developments over the past 24 hours are of the utmost importance. The discussion initiated at the NATO Summit by European Union leaders with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the EU’s appointment of Raffaele Fito as the new Special Representative, and, of course, António Guterres’s historic visit to Cyprus to dohe can regarding the Cyprus issue during the time he has left as UN Secretary-General.

The timing of all these events coming together is pivotal for the national issue, which until recently had been in a state of dormancy. The momentum to break the deadlock and get to the heart of the matter—which is the start of negotiations—must not be lost.

Nevertheless, the Turkey factor will always be present, and it is difficult to find a solution here. Over the years, the Turkish President has made a point of derailing and nullifying any effort that emerges, with Ankara insisting on its “two-state” rhetoric. This time, the setback regarding the Cyprus issue may come in a different form. By setting it aside, as his agenda is otherwise prioritized and filled with other issues that are pressing for Turkey. The F-35s!

An entire NATO summit was centered on Erdogan’s fervent desire to rejoin the U.S. fighter jet program. He didn’t seem the least bit tired for the meeting with Trump, in contrast to the one he had with European leaders, during which the Cyprus issue came up. The Turkish President said he was exhausted, giving the floor to Hakan Fidan, and ultimately without reaching any conclusion whatsoever on the Cyprus issue.

The sultan has pulled out all the stops to convince the erratic Trump to pave the way for the F-35s. Last Friday, Hulusi Akar, Chairman of the Turkish Parliament’s National Defense Committee and former Minister of Defense, stated after a visit to Washington that his meetings with U.S. lawmakers were positive, productive, and constructive, noting encouraging signs on the issue. On the same day, Deputy Foreign Minister Levent Gümrükçü, according to a report by Anadolu, stated that Turkey and the United States are closer than ever to resolving the CAATSA sanctions and the dispute over the F-35s.

The F-35 fighter jet program is the top story in Turkish newspapers and on television programs-35 fighter jet program is the top story, with analysis of Greece’s air superiority over Turkey in the skies of the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean. And this is what Mr. Erdogan cannot stomach. At the moment, he is going all out to acquire the state-of-the-art fighter jets that will boost his military standing. It should be noted that his frantic efforts may continue until the end of his friend Trump’s term, which expires in 2028.

We all know that Turkey’s stance and statements could determine what happens next. The Government Spokesperson also said this on July 8, while appearing on a television program. “Turkey is the only one that can allow progress on the Cyprus issue.” It is therefore obvious that no matter how valuable and painstaking the efforts of everyone else may be, if Erdogan isn’t pressured, then progress on the Cyprus issue will be slow and difficult.