Türkiye’s strength as a key player in European security Geopolitics on Caliber.Az

At the current historical juncture, which is not so much transitional as it is somewhat collapse-like, many countries that just a few months ago positioned themselves as the most unique have found themselves in a geopolitical abyss. In contrast, Türkiye stands as one of the few confident nations. It continues to follow a clear, measured, and balanced foreign policy that is not driven by immediate interests, and is not directed against anyone.

This very approach allows Türkiye to currently occupy a crucial position in the global geopolitical hierarchy, both in terms of understanding the developing situation on the planet and influencing it, while taking into account the country’s national interests.

In this context, Türkiye's European (or rather, transatlantic) tilt is perhaps most vividly expressed. Thus, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, stating that Ankara remains committed to the goal of full membership in the European Union, emphasized its expectation that Brussels would adopt a strategic and forward-looking position and activate negotiations on Türkiye's accession to the EU. The key nuance here is that this is by no means a request from Ankara. 

As Erdoğan pointed out back in 2023, Türkiye "will no longer accept the terms and demands for EU membership from Brussels, as we have fulfilled all the promises made to the EU, but they have almost none of theirs." Today, the Turkish president presents his country's position in much broader terms, stating that "joint planning with Türkiye of all steps related to European security will serve our mutual interests," within which Ankara sees no grounds for excluding Türkiye from EU defense procurement programs and the reconstruction of Ukraine. As he further specified, "it should not be forgotten that the issue of European security concerns not only EU member states, but also all European allies."

“We want our European friends to understand the role of the new Türkiye in the changed world and adjust their strategy accordingly,” emphasized Erdoğan. Expressing hope that “once this unity of understanding is established, relations between Türkiye and Europe will rapidly develop in all areas,” he concluded, “The course towards full EU membership remains unchanged.” Following this, he sent another message to Brussels, highlighting the importance of maintaining “strong support from our ally, the U.S., and the transatlantic bond to the fullest extent.”

Analysts, noting the intentional emphasis of the Turkish president’s statement, highlight Türkiye’s inclusion among the five largest NATO members “in terms of support for alliance operations and missions.” According to open Turkish sources, Türkiye’s contribution to NATO's military budget stands at nearly 4.6%, placing it among the eight countries with the leading positions in this regard. Furthermore, NATO's rapid deployment corps headquarters is stationed in Istanbul.

Therefore, there is nothing spontaneous in the recent update by Türkiye's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, regarding the consideration of aspects of a sustainable European security architecture "in the long-term and strategic perspective," which is only possible with Türkiye’s participation. This comes at a time when, for the first time since 2016, Turkey announced its participation in the Red Flag exercises in the U.S., considered "one of the most prestigious exercises in the world" (which will conclude on March 21st of this year).

In general, Türkiye's significant role in the aforementioned areas is recognized by world politicians. For example, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called Türkiye's defense industry "truly impressive," noting that it "supplies the most important components, including end products." "We can only ask you to do more," he stated. Simultaneously, there was information about Rutte privately urging EU leaders to intensify security cooperation with Ankara, leaving any disagreements "aside."

It seems that Europe is increasingly recognizing Türkiye's powerful role in maintaining the security architecture of the continent, which was evident in the participation of Hakan Fidan at the European leaders' meeting on Ukraine held in the UK in early March. During recent phone talks between Fidan and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, attention was drawn to the fact that "non-EU states contribute significantly to ensuring security on the European continent."

Türkiye's significance is also evident in other geopolitical areas, particularly in the Syrian direction. In this context, Erdoğan emphasized Türkiye's measures "to prevent any developments against Türkiye." He added that Türkiye "has supported Syria in difficult times and will continue to do so in the future, honorably passing the test of brotherhood both in this country and in Gaza." Emphasizing that Syria, like Türkiye, is a free state "that earned its independence through the blood of martyrs," Erdoğan stated: "Those dreaming of the old times will be deeply disappointed."

In this regard, global news agencies have headlined the information that the new Syrian authorities have announced an agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) concerning the "integration of civilian and military institutions of the Kurdish autonomous administration into the Syrian government." The agreement specifies particular locations in northeastern Syria, including border posts, an airport, as well as oil and gas fields. The implementation of the agreement is expected by the end of 2025.

As for Türkiye's South Caucasus foreign policy vector, it is worth referencing the statement made by Turkish parliament member from Iğdır, Cantürk Alagöz, who highlighted the importance of the swift opening of the Zangezur Corridor, which, once operational, "will strengthen Türkiye's geopolitical position by creating a continuous trade and communication route between Europe and Asia." According to Turkish experts, the opening of the corridor "will fully unlock the economic potential of Eastern Anatolia and lead to population growth in this part of the country."

In one of his speeches, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev referred to the Shusha Declaration as a "historic agreement," emphasizing that "we had been acting as allies de facto for many years, but the Shusha Declaration made it an official document." He noted that Türkiye and Azerbaijan will continue to speak from a unified position on foreign policy issues, and described the Turkish-Azerbaijani unity as an important aspect, including in terms of the development, stability, and security of the region.

For his part, Erdoğan has repeatedly stated that Türkiye and Azerbaijan have always shared a common understanding of "One nation, two states" and will "firmly continue on this path." At the recent ceremony marking the opening of the Iğdır-Nakhchivan gas pipeline, the Turkish president stressed that Ankara and Baku "stand in support of stability, cooperation, and prosperity in the region," wishing only for peace and collective development.

The aforementioned facts undoubtedly demonstrate the growing international stature of the Republic of Türkiye. Moreover, the country’s geopolitical significance extends beyond the region. As a result, European political leaders, who have effectively voiced their goal of building a "new strong Europe," are beginning to realize—perhaps not entirely out loud—that achieving this objective will not become a reality without Türkiye's participation.

Indeed, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, at a press conference following his talks with the Turkish leader in Ankara, openly and unambiguously called on Türkiye "to take on the greatest possible co-responsibility for the peace process, guaranteeing stability and security in our entire region."

In turn, in his recent speech at the Beştepe Congress Center in Ankara, Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye is resolute in its efforts to "ensure peace, justice, and stability in the region and beyond." He concluded, "We are where we are needed, and we are resolutely advancing on the path of turning Türkiye into a hub for resolving contradictions."

This, undoubtedly, requires no further comment.