Turkish foreign policy – between East and West ?

Policy Brief (European Policy Centre), October 2009

By Amanda Akçakoca *

The past decade has seen a fundamental shift in Turkey’s foreign policy: it is now more pro-active, assertive and independent; less focused on traditional hard power and more on a ‘diplomacy-first’ approach. This Policy Brief by Amanda Akçakoca argues that while Ankara is focusing more its own neighbourhood, its role as a key regional player and upgrading relations with Russia, it is unlikely to adopt an anti-Western foreign policy given the solid ties it has built with NATO, the US and the EU.

* Amanda Akçakoca is a Policy Analyst and Programme Executive at the European Policy Centre. The issues raised in this paper are discussed within the EPC-TUSKON Turkish Insights Project.

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