Turkey's Foreign Policy NATO member Turkey has pursued confrontational foreign policy actions, including threats of war with Greece and military occupations in Syria. President Erdogan's aggressive stance challenges NATO consensus aims.
Russian Relations Turkey maintains complex relations with Russia, purchasing Russian arms while blocking NATO ships from the Black Sea. This includes a deal to purchase tens of billions worth of Russian oil and gas despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Geopolitical Chess Game To understand Turkey's current geopolitical strategy, it is essential to trace back its history from the Ottoman Empire to modern-day Republic. The Treaty of Sevres led to historic enmity between Greeks and Turks.
Strategic Importance of Marmara Region The marmara region holds significant strategic importance due to its geographic location as a trade crossroads for thousands of years. Control over this region is crucial for defending Turkish interests.
Turkish Pushback Against Lausanne Terms After World War II, Turkey pushed back against territorial agreements outlined in the Treaty of Lausanne through various diplomatic negotiations and military actions such as Cyprus occupation.
Azerbaijan Alliance & Kurdish Autonomy The UN Convention on Law Of The Sea created tensions between Greece & Turkey regarding maritime boundaries within Aegean sea leading up until discovery natural gas reserves later on.
Turkey's Bid to Join the European Union Turkey sought EU membership but faced obstacles due to human rights issues, Cyprus occupation, and economic requirements. This led Turkey to look for new leadership.
Geopolitical Significance of Turkey After the fall of the Soviet Empire, Turkey became a crucial crossroads between Caspian oil resources and European markets. It played a key role in major pipeline projects and gained influence in energy trade.
Turkish Ambitions Amid Arab Spring Revolutions During the Arab Spring revolutions, Turkey aimed to expand its power into former Ottoman territories by supporting certain factions. However, it often backed losing sides like Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.
Eastern Mediterranean Gas Discoveries & Maritime Disputes 'Significant natural gas discoveries' transformed Israel's energy profile while leading to maritime disputes with Greece and Cyprus over territorial claims. These tensions also involved France as an ally against Turkish expansionism.
Strategic Importance of Water Resources The control over rivers originating from Kurdish areas is vital for water supply and hydroelectric power generation within Southeastern turkey; this has been linked with conflicts related PKK insurgency.