Türkiye’s Foreign Policy vis-à-vis the War in Ukraine: A New Version of Active Neutrality

Year 2022, Volume: 27 Issue: 2, 159 - 176, 09.01.2023

Armağan Gözkaman

Abstract

Facing one of the biggest military crises on the European continent, Turkish foreign policy has shown strong features of an updated version of active neutrality. The present research revolves around five main axes that characterize the endeavor of Turkish authorities: High-level mediation efforts, condemnation of —and political position toward—the war, synchronization with the Transatlantic Alliance, military cooperation with Ukraine, adherence to the Montreux Convention on the Turkish Straits and political relations with the Russian Federation. Türkiye’s foreign policy setting has led to a stronger diplomatic visibility for the country and serves the objective of establishing it as an indispensable, front-line diplomatic actor.

Keywords

Turkish foreign policy, Russia-Ukraine war, active neutrality, Russia, Ukraine