Turkey at a crossroads: Will it turn to the East or West?

Turkey celebrates its centennial in 2023. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire 100 years ago, the republic was established with a secular outlook. Turkey joined NATO in 1952, formally cementing its place in the free world and within the Western fold. Today, it possesses the second-largest army in the transatlantic alliance.

However, Turkey has warmed up to Russia in recent years. The two countries doubled their trade to $68 billion in 2022, despite sanctions on the Russian economy by Turkey's NATO allies. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also expressed his desire for the country to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization — a Central Asian security bloc hosted by China — as a full member.

"The United States still is the most dominant actor in the international stage. But it has now serious, credible challengers. Most notably, of course, China," professor Senem Aydin Duzgit from Sabanci University said. "You have the rise of new actors. Russia is one of them. India is one of them."

"This creates a system in which midsize players have more space to conduct partially independent foreign policies from the United States," she explained.

Turkey's foreign policy shift from the West is described as "strategic autonomy" in Turkish governing circles.

"Strategic autonomy means having a different policy line in case where Turkey's middle and long-term interests are not compatible with the United States or NATO," said Talha Kose, director of the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research, a research institute with strong ties to the Erdogan administration.

"As the United States is less interested to play the regional politics, I think Turkey becomes an important actor — a stabilizing actor," he added.

As Erdogan secures a third term in office, Turkey is at a crossroads: will it pivot to the East or West? Watch the video above to learn more.

#CNBC #Turkey #Erdogan

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[zenwisdom]

here is the crux of the matter when you treat your ally ( Turkey ) like a second-class citizen then you get to be treated the same way in return. We refuse to sell the weapons that Turks need to our Nato ally yet we have no problem selling the most advanced weapons to countries like Saudi or UAE which are not even Nato members also likewise Turkey has been waiting for the last 50 years to be a member of the E.U, so naturally Turks turned to the east where they are appreciated and treated as equals...its really no mystery or surprise.

[truth-tellerchom]

Why should Türkiye turn to East or West? We are neither of them. We are Türkiye.

[nxx]

Turkey will do what is in the interests of the turkish people and not what the west expects from turkey. Turkey is not a puppet state. It is an INDEPENDENT country doing what is in their interests.

[neilnelson]

The West have a very narrow way of looking at thinks. You can't sum up the world as East and West.

[Kalinga_]

As the Indian foreign minister, S Jaishankar rightly said-
"Europe has to grow out of the mindset that Europe's problems are the world's problems, but the world's problems are not Europe's problems".
Same for United states too.

[Sadoyasturadoglu]

Turkey does not have two choices, such as "turn to the East or West".

[batuhankara]

Most Turks think like me, they don't want to choose both sides, but they don't want to be enemies on both sides.

[TheGercek]

Why choose side's ? Turkey should choose where ever her interests are

[eriktopolsky]

As westerner I can say WEST is LAST PLACE ON EARTH, that can judge Turkyie

[leeGedleh]

It’s disappointing to once again see these ideological & political opposition reporters spouting the usual negative talking points.

Turkiye is a young dynamic self confident nation that’s charted it’s own course to become a regional power and a potential global powerhouse, the sooner some of her “frenamies” and her domestic eurocentric aspiring opponents come to term with that reality the better things would be for us all.

[Leonheart]

To be honest in recent years the constant supports of European countries and America for PKK terrorism has made the Turkish population wary of them, there is a very negative view regarding EU membership and even NATO. Business will be maintained, but I don't think diplomatic ties will go like this longer.

[BAKUVIQAQA]

Its west & east who is turning to Turkiye 🇹🇷

[wrenchax]

We joined the union in 1952. We were rewarded with the first military coup in 1960 :)) 1971 second military attempt :)) 1974 Cyprus operation and the embargo :)) Another military coup in 1980 :)) A process in which the army intervened in the administration again in 1997 :)) Memorandum in 2007 :)) And the final 2016 coup attempt :)) We entered the western club and this was the reward :)) US has a finger in all of them :)) In 2016, Turkey took a big step to get rid of these diseases and wake up from the dream. Whenever Turkey acted in line with its own interests, it was designed with internal turmoil and military incidents. Of course, this deep US structure exists in the army and politics in other NATO countries. In part, Turkey has managed to break this bond, or at least loosen it. In my opinion, Russia, China or any other axis cannot respond to Turkey's demands. In my opinion, the new path that Turkey will follow is a regional power based on sincerity and trust, and multifaceted diplomacy.

[ForJusticeForFreedom]

How can you do business with people who take your money but don’t deliver the goods

[cengizbaykara]

I can comfortably answer your question . We will neither turn to the East nor turn to the West . We will be at our own CENTER . We will follow balance politics.

[opppoo]

It don’t matter that you don’t agree with turkey turkey is right I love turkey 🇹🇷

[doyouwantthetotalwar]

Turkey will do whatever is due to the interests of Turkey; neither the "east" nor the "west", neither north nor south... Anyone wishing to cooperate is welcome.

[damnson]

In opposition to Erdogan, I can easily say that Erdogan did everything he could to enter the European Union, but the European Union did not take much action, especially between 2007-2009

[shashikantsingh]

Mr. Trump started dollar war ... From his time world saw the danger of having only dollar reserves.
Russia show us the way ... Hydride reserve system is more sustainable.
We Indians 🇮🇳 too understand the west hypocrisy

[sedatgoksu]

Türkiye will turn his face neither to East nor to West but to his roots.