Ukraine’s OTS invitation call, Tokayev’s Russia proposal three days later

By Yusuf İnan | Wise News Press
Journalist and author | Political and strategic analyst

MYKOLAIV, UKRAINE — Three days after Wise News Press called for Ukraine and Crimean Tatar representatives to attend Organization of Turkic States summits as guests, Kazakhstan’s president proposed a role for Russia.

The timing underscores the relevance of the proposal we published on 27 October. While we were calling for a diplomatic opening to Ukraine and the Crimean Tatars, the possibility of Russia joining the same forum’s activities entered the international debate. There is no evidence of a direct connection between the two developments. Even so, their political implications deserve scrutiny at a time when the war, Crimea and the future of the Turkic world are all at stake.

The call to invite Ukraine came before the summit

In an analysis published by Wise News Press on 27 October 2026, I proposed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, or a senior representative designated by him, be invited as a guest to a summit of the Organization of Turkic States, or OTS. I also argued that representatives of the Crimean Tatar people should be included in the Ukrainian delegation, giving such participation historical and political significance.

This was not an interpretation developed after the Ankara summit. The proposal was published openly before the meeting. It began with two realities: Crimea is Ukrainian territory, and the Crimean Tatars are an integral part of the Turkic world.

The scope of the proposal was equally clear. Member states could first consult on guest participation. An invitation as a guest, observer status and membership are different arrangements. The form of any longer-term relationship between Ukraine and the OTS could be negotiated separately.

What did Tokayev propose for Russia?

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the 13th OTS Summit in Ankara, 30 October 2026.

Three days later, on 30 October, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev raised Russia’s possible participation during the OTS summit in Ankara. According to the address published by Kazakhstan’s presidency, Tokayev proposed inviting Russia to the OTS Plus format or allowing it to take part in the organization’s activities as an observer. Among his reasons, he cited Russia’s historical ties with the Turkic peoples living within its borders.

That statement does not mean Russia has been admitted to the OTS. No decision granting Russia membership or observer status was announced at the summit. What exists is a consequential political proposal made by Kazakhstan’s president.

The three-day interval between our publication and Tokayev’s speech is worth recording. It does not, however, establish that “Russia responded to our article” or that “Moscow followed our reporting and acted on it.” Either claim would require evidence. What we know with certainty is this: A call to invite Ukraine as a guest was published before the summit; a proposal concerning Russia’s participation was raised at the summit.

Timing matters in international politics. Strategic analysis should neither dismiss these developments as a coincidence nor turn chronology into proof of causation. It should examine the interests of the states involved, the substance of the proposals and the possible consequences of future decisions.

Crimea is not new to the organization’s agenda

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan meets Mustafa Dzhemilev, a national leader of the Crimean Tatars. (Archive photo)

Calling for Ukraine and the Crimean Tatars to be discussed within the OTS does not introduce an entirely new issue to the organization. The Turkic Council’s Fifth Summit Declaration of 2015 addressed the peaceful resolution of the situation in Ukraine. It also recorded that Türkiye had informed member states about the Crimean Tatars’ status, security and the problems they faced.

That history makes today’s question more pointed: If the situation of the Crimean Tatars could appear in a joint declaration years ago, why should it not become a regular diplomatic concern while the occupation and war continue?

The culture and rights of Turkic peoples living in Russia can, of course, be discussed. Consistency also requires attention to the rights of Crimean Tatars living in Crimea under Russian occupation. Any discussion of dialogue with Russia must keep Ukraine’s sovereignty and the future of the Crimean Tatars in view.

The aim is not to turn the Organization of Turkic States into a military alliance. Tokayev reiterated Kazakhstan’s position in Ankara that the organization should not become one. Diplomatic participation, cultural cooperation, visibility for human rights and contacts in pursuit of peace are separate matters.

Erdoğan’s support offers a diplomatic opening

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during their meeting in Istanbul, 31 October 2026.

Türkiye occupies a pivotal place in this discussion. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that Türkiye does not recognize Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity, including Crimea. Ankara has maintained that position while continuing its diplomatic contacts with Russia.

On 31 October, the day after the Ankara summit, Zelenskyy met Erdoğan in Istanbul. The two leaders discussed Black Sea security and efforts toward peace. In their joint appearance, Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and said Ankara was ready to contribute to diplomacy for a just peace. Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, was also present with the Ukrainian delegation.

The publicly announced agenda of the meeting contained no decision to invite Ukraine to OTS events. Nevertheless, Türkiye and Ukraine have a direct diplomatic channel at the leadership level. That is the opportunity Kyiv could assess: turn its position on Crimea and the Crimean Tatars into a concrete proposal and bring it to Türkiye and the other OTS members for consultation.

The concrete proposal Kyiv could make

A first step toward closer relations with the Organization of Turkic States could be for Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry to prepare a proposal for discussion with member countries. Contributions from state bodies working on Crimea, the Crimean Tatar Mejlis, Ukrainian lawmakers and foreign policy specialists would strengthen both its diplomatic and human dimensions.

At the centre of the proposal should be an invitation for Ukraine’s president, or a senior representative designated by him, to attend a future OTS meeting as a guest alongside representatives of the Crimean Tatar people. Such a step would not require an immediate decision on membership or observer status. Following consultations among member states, it would allow the voices of Ukraine and the Crimean Tatars to be heard directly.

Regular discussions could then follow on keeping the occupation of Crimea on the international agenda, protecting the Crimean Tatars’ language, culture and rights, and pursuing a just peace in the Black Sea region. Türkiye’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity offers Kyiv a basis for turning this proposal into a diplomatic initiative.

The political meaning of the three-day interval

On 27 October, we pointed to a diplomatic possibility. On 30 October, Tokayev raised a different possibility for Russia from the summit podium. This sequence is a reason to state our proposal more clearly and concretely.

Ukraine has the support of Türkiye, which continues to affirm its territorial integrity, and a direct relationship with President Erdoğan, who plays an influential role in international negotiations. Kyiv could use that relationship to keep Crimea present in the diplomatic consciousness of the Turkic world.

Our proposal is clear: Kyiv should prepare a formal request for guest participation in an OTS meeting together with Crimean Tatar representatives, and Ankara should consult the other member states about it. This step alone will not end the war. It could, however, help prevent Crimea from being forgotten, give Ukraine a voice in another diplomatic forum and contribute to the search for a just peace grounded in sovereignty.

Yusuf İnan

WiseNewsPress.com