Is it safe to travel to Turkey with the war in Ukraine?

Is Turkey safe during the Russia-Ukraine war?

Update #2: It has been a while since the peace negotiations’ meeting which was held in Turkey at Dolmabahce Palace, the war still did not end however the social peaceful responses are rising from all around the world. At the beginning of May young boys and old military men despite a ban on public gatherings, have the ceremony at the World War II memorial in Kyiv. U2’s Bono and the Edge had a surprise concert in Kyiv metro to take more attention from the world with the invitation of president Zelensky. Ed Sheeran on the other hand released the track 2step with Ukrainian band Antytila for the same purpose recently and the Jersey football tournament raises money for Ukraine. Moreover, political and economical sanctions are a “must” to stop the war so Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President, had announced that EU nations will prohibit the oil trade with Russia until the end of the year. In addition American president, Jo Biden recently stated that the US will help Ukraine militarily.

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Is it safe to travel to Turkey in 2023?

Life goes on on the other hand. Sun started to heat the earth and travelers had started to make plans already. The answers to the questions “Is it safe to travel to Turkey because of the Ukraine war?, Is it safe to travel to Turkey with the war between Russia and Ukraine?” or “is it safe to travel to Turkey because of Ukraine 2023” elses’ are still the same: YES. Also, Turkey expects most Russian tourists to visit Turkey in 2023. Turkey tourism is lit in 2023 during the summer season. Explore the best Antalya beaches and the dazzling Alanya & Bodrum tourist attractions, which are among the most popular places in Turkey.

(Check Turkey Tour Packages)

Since the beginning of the war, Turkey try to build a bridge for peace between the two countries and Ukraine asked Turkey to be a guarantor country for the possible peace agreements. Turkey helped the tourists who were already in the country when the war started and held meetings in both cities, Antalya and Istanbul, which have details below. So to sum up, Turkey is still safe to go to with the war in Ukraine in 2023, Turkey’s airspace is safe for flights from all around the world, the same as its coasts.

In the article below, all the issues related to safety are mentioned in detail. 

On February 24, 2022, Russia started a military invasion of Ukraine. The conflict between two countries affects individuals all around the world in numerous ways. Poland and other bordering European countries, in particular, are supporting refugees in a variety of ways. It also has a severe negative influence on the world economy, and international sanctions on Russia have already put Russians in terrible financial situations.

 This conflict, like others before it, will hurt all countries, beginning in Europe and expanding to the farthest corners of the planet. Because the commercial channels that connect the world are an essential dimension. Because Russia and Turkey have extensive tourism relations, its initial oscillations have already had an influence on the Turkish economy, notably the tourism industry. The Turkish tourism sector receives approximately 4.5 million Russian and 2 million Ukrainian tourists each year, and those who have already visited Turkey are suffering from a lack of a Swift payment system, the falling value of the rouble, and flight bans, which prevent them from returning to their home country, and those who have booked their vacation are confused.

 It is preferable to declare that no conflict is acceptable, and we all hope that all wars throughout the world end immediately before we damage our planet and reach an irreversible point.

Did you hear this! As we have stated previously, Turkey is supporting the peace between the countries of Ukraine and Russia. Since the Ukraine-Russia conflict has started in Feb, the discussions held in Belarus by the ways face-to-face, and video conferences did not give any good news at all. Both countries’ representatives were used to have had a discussion in Antalya on March 10, second and more hopeful one was organized in Istanbul on 29 March.

Turkey was being mentioned as a guarantor country from the beginning of the conflict, it has now a mediator role between the two countries.

As with the wish of Zelenskiy the possible ceasefire /peace negotiations’ second meeting was held in Turkey Dolmabahce Palace. 

The Ukrainian and Russian delegates come together and Mr. Erdogan who has maintained ties with both Moscow and Kyiv underlined that the world is waiting for good news from them. During the meeting, the topics that are De-Nazis Ukraine, disarmament of Ukraine, Legal protection for the Russian language in Ukraine, and some countries, including Turkey, will be guarantors were discussed. End of the meeting, both sides were convinced that the next step may be enough to hold a meeting at the leaders’ level. Mr. Erdogan stated that Turkey will be ready to welcomed Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelensky in person when it comes to that point. So in the light of the last developments, İt Can Be Said That Turkey Still Playing A Mediator, A Conciliator Role İn This Conflict.

So, the current question is for guests who are willing to visit Turkey from different countries around the earth is; “Does Turkey safe for summer? Will Russia invade Turkey?, Does Turkey has a side in the Ukraine-Russia war? How about Ukraine and Turkey’s relationships? Is there any Ukraine embassy in Turkey? Have the Ukraine-Turkey flights been canceled?” and more…

Turkey is safe, here is how and why with details…

 Russia invaded Ukraine at the end of February, and today Nato, European countries, and Turkey are attempting to bring an end to it through diplomatic talks, sanctions, and economic measures. Turkey, as a Nato member, plays an essential diplomatic role in these circumstances, what is more, Turkey’s desire to provide peace should always be emphasized.

FAQs during Russia-Ukraine conflict

1. Where is Turkey? Asia or Europe?

Turkey is a transcontinental country, that has landed on both continents. However, for the majority of its land is in Asia, Istanbul connects each continent via bridges.

Turkey shares its borders with the countries Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan (northeast), Iran, Iraq, Syria (East), Greece, and Bulgaria (northwest) with the Black Sea on the north and the Mediterranean Sea on the south. If you are wondering, “Is Ukraine close to Turkey?” As a result, Turkey has no borders with Russia or Ukraine. Both countries are on the other side of the Black Sea which is 461.000 km².

2. So how Turkey and Russia-Ukraine are related?

Turkey shares a maritime boundary with both countries which are located on opposing sides of the Black Sea, which is around 1134 km by the sea, roughly 19 hours away from İstanbul.

To be more specific on the highway, Ukraine to Turkey distance (from Istanbul to Kyiv) is approximately 1600 km, roughly lasts 2 hours flight or 20 hours by bus, while Russia and Turkey (from Istanbul to Moscow) is about 2500 km, nearly lasts 3 hours flight as well as 35 hours by bus. So Ukraine is not near Turkey as well as Russia.

3. Is It Safe to Travel to Turkey with the war in Ukraine?

It is, indeed. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO) has not pointed out that Turkey is a risky province due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The current warning on the FCDO is still about the Syria border which means that the Aegean, Mediterranean, Istanbul, the Black Sea coasts, the most popular traveling and summer holiday destinations are still safe. You can yet have summer plans for the cities: Canakkale, Izmir, Aydin, Mugla, Denizli, Antalya and Cappadocia.

However, it will be better to mention the cities that FCDO was warned about Syria civil war formerly. According to FCDO Turkey’s southeast border which is including the cities Sirnak and Hatay, as well as Diyarbakir, Tunceli, and Hakkari are risky regions. Even if FCDO does not suggest, in the summer of 2018-2019, around 740.000 tourists had visited Hatay, while in 2020 and 2021, due to the covid epidemic ban all traveling plans, 323.339 travelers have visited the country. For more tourism data please click.

4. How about the airspace, is it safe to fly Turkey?

The airspaces of Ukraine and Russia are not generally on Turkey’s flight paths. A plane flying to Istanbul, Ankara, or Izmir does not have to fly through Ukraine or Russia’s airspace because those nations do not have borders with Turkey and the Black Sea separates Turkey and them. Furthermore, Ukraine’s airspace is closed, and both the European Union and Russia have announced that they have closed the airspaces for the planes which means that some of the flights’ routes have changed, some may take longer than previous. Here’s more information about “how the Ukraine-Russia war redrawn the globe air map“.

5. Why did Turkey close The Bosphorus to Russian ships?

The Bosphorus is the way to go the Black Sea from the Mediterranean and the Black Sea has no other channel with any oceans. According to the Montreux Convention, 1936 (signed between the countries Bulgaria, France, Greece, Japan, Romania, Yugoslavia, Turkey, United Kingdom, USSR), Turkey has a right to ban, close the Bosphorus to warships involved in wars so Turkey did it on 28 Feb. That doesn’t cause a conflict between Russia and Turkey because Russia is one of the parties to the agreement.

6. Is Turkey member of Nato?

Yes. Turkey is a part of the Nato alliance since 1952. 

7. Does Turkey support any side of the Russia-Ukraine war?

Turkey, as always, supports peace and is attempting to find a diplomatic solution for immediate peace. In March, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitro Kuleba, and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu gathered around a table in Antalya, to discuss the possible peace and ceasefire options…

There was no agreement but Turkey has made it clear that it is in favor of peace. Furthermore, European countries believe that Turkey might be a bridge between Ukraine and Russia. When it comes to any invasion of Turkey by Russia, Putin had stated that the Ukraine invasion is intended to prevent it from joining Nato. Turkey is already a member.

8. What about Russia Turkey relations?

The relations have been started at the end of the 15th century between the Ottoman Empire and Tsarist Russia and continued until the republic of Turkey was established as being alliances, aids, friendships with the cold war were experienced. Today there are trading relationships between two countries. Turkey is buying natural gas from Russia and welcoming millions of Russian tourists annually with other trade agreements.

9. Ukraine Turkey relations?

The diplomatic relations between the was started in the ’90s, Turkey is one of the first countries that recognizes Ukraine’s independence, both countries are members of Blackseafor (the Black Sea Naval Cooperation Task Group) and BSEC (Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation). Turkey has an embassy in Kyiv and a consulate in Odesa, Ukraine has an embassy in Ankara, and a consulate in Istanbul.

The diplomatic meeting which was held on 29 March 2022 proves that both Russia and Ukraine are friends of Turkey, what is more, they are both trust Turkey.

10. What about Ukraine to Turkey flights or Russia?

Both countries’ airspaces are closed to flights. In conclusion during the Ukraine and Russia conflict, Turkey is still safe because it has no borders with those counties and may assume the mediator role in the future. Turkey is a Nato alliance and bans the Bosphorus passing for Russian warships as a right which is coming from the Montreux Convention. As we started to hear the good news that 750,000 passengers could arrive with 650 ships to Kusadasi in 2022. 

11. What about covid?

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Turkey has measures like any other country. It is necessary to have the “Form for Entry to Turkey” before you come and it may be better to check the Airport And Airline Guidelines for timely information. 

Turkey is a safe country with no conflict.

Turkey has always been a safe country. The war in Ukraine does not have any relation to Turkey. The Russian and Ukrainian people are not the same, not even close to the same, and it is one of the many reasons why this war will never reach Turkey and it’s safe for tourists to visit as usual.

Turkey is not only a popular country for tour packages now but in the future as well. There is a lot to see in Turkey from ancient ruins like Ephesus to the hippie-chic resort town of Bodrum, or the cute villages that dot the countryside.

Turkey is also one of the most affordable places you can go for vacation – and in terms of value, it outstrips some much more expensive destinations.

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