Understanding Turkish Foreign Policy | Soner Çağaptay

Video Description

How should we read Turkey’s shifting foreign policy over recent decades? Once firmly aligned with the West through NATO membership and its long-standing pursuit of European Union accession, Ankara is now navigating a more independent course. Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's series of pivots and seemingly non-committal stance on issues such as the Ukraine War, have kept the West guessing, as the country redefines its global role. At the same time, tensions with Washington and Brussels have intensified, as Ankara has strengthened ties with Moscow and Beijing. These shifts raise urgent questions: is Turkey truly breaking away from the West, or is it strategically balancing multiple alliances to maximise its influence on the world stage? In this interview with Dr. Soner Çagaptay, we take a deep dive into the origins of modern Turkey’s foreign policy, from the founding of the Republic in 1923 under Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, to today. We explore the country's many identities and the driving forces behind its external relations, as well as the broader implications of its foreign policy as a significant middle power. From historic rivalries to fledgling alliances, NATO commitments to new regional partnerships, the discussion provides essential context to understand Turkey’s strategic direction today. *VIDEO CHAPTERS* 00:00 Introduction and Titles 01:19 Turkish Foreign Policy Under Atatürk 05:54 How Did Turkish Foreign Policy Evolve From Thirties to Fifties? 11:55 Ankara’s Relationship With Soviet Russia 15:07 Turkey’s Thwarted Path To EU Membership 17:27 The Cyprus Issue And Erdogan’s Middle East Pivot 23:10 Turkey’s ‘Zero-Problems’ Foreign Policy and Regional Ties 28:54 Turkey’s Non-committal Stance on Ukraine War 37:52 Turkey’s Approach To Middle East 39:35h Ankara’s Rivalry With Tel Aviv and Tehran 45:37 The Evolution Of Turkey’s Global Soft Power *SUPPORT THE CHANNEL* If you like my videos, please subscribe or become a Channel Member. Thank you! SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE http://www.youtube.com/c/JamesKerLindsay?sub_confirmation=1 BECOME A CHANNEL MEMBER http://www.youtube.com/c/JamesKerLindsay/join *MY LATEST BOOK!* Secession and State Creation: What Everyone Needs to Know Oxford University Press https://global.oup.com/academic/product/secession-and-state-creation-9780190494049 Amazon https://amzn.to/2MPY3W2 Some of the links above are affiliate links. These pay a small commission if you make a purchase. This helps to support the channel at no additional cost to you. #Turkey #RecepTayyipErdoğan #ForeignPolicy