In its latest iteration, which manifested itself more clearly between 2019 and 2021, Turkey’s foreign policy around Libya has been part of three interlinked policies.
After over a year of tensions, the European Union (EU) has offered an olive branch to reset relations with Turkey and relaunch bilateral cooperation on specific crucial dossiers. Although profound divergences between the two persist, realpolitik seems to have prevailed in Brussels as Turkey remains a strategic player in the enlarged Mediterranean region, especially in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey has changed its Syria strategy as frequently as other warring parties have changed their tactics. Nonetheless, after a year of stalemate in Idlib against the Assad regime and several years of inconclusive adversarial policies against the Kurdish-led administration, Ankara faces the pressure of another strategy change. It can come in two ways: either as a shift in attitude towards the Kurdish administration or one towards the regime.
Turkey’s recent diplomatic initiatives to settle outstanding disputes with Egypt and Israel can be seen as a clear indication that Turkey’s ‘precious loneliness’ has already proven too burdensome and costly in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Though U.S.-Turkish strategic bilateral relations date back to the early Cold War era, one cannot describe them as warm today. Many issues divide Ankara and Washington, starting with Turkey’s 2017 purchase of the Russian-made S-400 missile-defense system, for which the United States sanctioned Turkey by suspending Ankara’s participation, in July 2019, in NATO’s flagship F-35 fighter plane project. What is more, new U.S.
After several months of tensions with Turkey, EU Member States announced their willingness to renew the expired migration agreement[1] in March 2021, while the EU Commission has already lined up an additional €585 million for a so-called “humanitarian bridge funding” for 2021.
Over the years, diversification and activism have been major features of Ankara’s foreign policy, wherein the United States and the European Union no longer take centre stage. Despite common geostrategic, security, and economic interests, ties with Ankara’s traditional Western partners have experienced setbacks and tensions. Meanwhile, Turkey’s assertiveness in the Middle East and North Africa has turned it into a crucial player in the region’s central crises, from Syria through Libya all the way to the Eastern Mediterranean.
The MED This Week newsletter provides expert analysis and informed insights on the most significant developments in the MENA region, bringing together unique opinions on the topic and reliable foresight on future scenarios. Today, we focus on Egypt and Turkey, whose latest attempt to repair their long strained bilateral relations may have ramifications across the MENA region.
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The MED This Week newsletter provides expert analysis and informed comments on the most significant developments in the MENA region, bringing together unique opinions on the topic and reliable foresight on future scenarios. Today, we focus on the US and Turkey, as Joe Biden’s decision to formally recognize the 1915 Armenian genocide is likely to have a deep impact on Ankara’s relations with Washington and NATO.
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What does the future hold for the Middle East and North Africa? The second Rome MED Regional Meeting held last week provided an opportunity for experts to analyse and comment on the trends and challenges facing the region. The discussion was framed around MED’s 4 core pillars: Security, Prosperity, Migration, and Culture & Civil Society.
The MED This Week newsletter provides expert analysis and informed comments on the MENA region's most significant issues and trends. Today, we turn the spotlight on the outcomes of the latest European Council, where the EU-Turkey relationship was discussed in light of the recent attempts to de-escalate the Eastern Mediterranean situation and Ankara's withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention.
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