Archives Turkey - Page 11 of 27 - New Eastern Outlook

The Republic of Türkiye is currently at a political crossroads. Throughout the post-war period, Turkey has sought to integrate into Euro-Atlantic structures. However, it has also developed very strong relations with Russia and Iran over the past decades. The Russian special military operation against the Kiev regime has significantly complicated Turkey’s foreign policy maneuvering and divided public opinion. The tension was evident during the Turkish presidential campaign, as Recep Tayyip Erdoğan won with only 52% of the vote, even after the second round. Turkey’s current situation necessitates caution…

Turkey considers the Kurdish issue among the priority threats to its national security. In this regard, the formation of a Kurdish autonomy in the territory of south-east Turkey is perceived by Ankara as an existential threat to internal security, as well as the possibility of such autonomies (and especially an independent Kurdistan) in the territory of neighboring countries (in particular, in Syria, Iraq and Iran) threatens to the Turkey’s external security. Actually, it is also not clear where tens of millions of Kurds should move to from the territories they have inhabited for many centuries…

The Kurdish issue remains a key threat to Turkey’s internal and external security. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), banned and recognised as a terrorist organisation in Turkey, somehow continues its actions against Turkish forces in northern Syria and Iraq, which is used by Ankara to conduct local military operations in neighbouring countries to suppress the resistance of Kurdish forces and destroy their military facilities. As it became known from mass media, on 22 and 23 December this year, 12 Turkish servicemen were killed as a result of attacks of PKK militants on a Turkish…