Türkiye’s footprint in various regions of the world has expanded. This is evident not only in economic terms but also in the country’s projection of its soft power, reflected in a myriad of educational and outreach initiatives. It furthermore has a rising profile as a regional weapons supplier, particularly of armed drones. Under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ankara is clearly pursuing an ambitious vision in the diplomatic, economic and military spheres. This Chaillot Paper examines Türkiye’s presence in and interaction with four distinct regions in the world: the Western Balkans; the South Caucasus; the Middle East, North Africa and Gulf region; and Africa. It shows how engagement with these regions serves a dual purpose for Türkiye: diversifying partnerships to counter isolation and asserting strategic autonomy by distancing itself from the West.
Authors: Dalia Ghanem, Senior Analyst (ed.); Pinar Akpinar, Assistant Professor; Ondrej Ditrych, Senior Analyst, Rossella Marangio, Senior Analyst; Bojana Zorić, Associate Analyst.
This article is available on the EUISS website.
