https://arab.news/7cjnn
Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukraine’s airspace has been closed and its roads have been unsafe for travel. Thus, trains have become the primary means of access. Over the past three years, numerous foreign leaders who have wanted to show their solidarity with Ukraine have taken trains to meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky in the capital Kyiv.
The 10-hour overnight train journey that takes them from southeastern Poland to Kyiv has come to be known as “iron diplomacy” and acts a symbol of commitment. Typically, the schedule and exact route of these train journeys are kept confidential and two alternate routes are always prepared — one for the actual train and another for a decoy “ghost train” to mitigate the risk of an attack. This was a precaution particularly used during then-US President Joe Biden’s trip last year.
Among the latest officials to embark on this symbolic journey was Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who was accompanied by a delegation of journalists. The Turkish media became the first to be given access to the train, which was heavily guarded, with security personnel both on board and along the route. Typically, during these journeys, the curtains remain closed to minimize visibility for Russian drones. However, the curtains were left open during Fidan’s journey — signaling Turkiye’s weight in the war and the changing conditions on the ground.
