Transformations of Turkish Foreign Policy Toward the United States Amid a Multipolar International System: From Strategic Partnership to Managed Competition (2002–2025)
Keywords:
Multipolarity, Strategic Partnership, Managed Competition, Strategic Hedging, Strategic AutonomyAbstract
This study aims to examine the transformations in Turkish foreign policy toward the United States amid the shift toward a multipolar international system, focusing on the impact of multiple centers of power on expanding Turkey’s strategic options and the role of strategic hedging and strategic autonomy in reshaping Ankara’s approach toward Washington. The significance of the study lies in analyzing the transformation of Turkish policy toward the United States as Turkey seeks to diversify its partnerships and expand its room for maneuver. The study contributes to the literature by linking multipolarity with strategic hedging and strategic autonomy and by employing the concept of “managed competition” to explain the shift from strategic partnership toward a pattern combining competition and cooperation, with particular attention to the main areas of disagreement, especially the Kurdish issue in Syria and the S-400 crisis, alongside defense and military cooperation. The study primarily adopts a descriptive-analytical approach, complemented by a historical approach. The findings indicate that multipolarity has expanded Turkey’s strategic room for maneuver, diversified its options and partnerships, and strengthened its strategic autonomy without abandoning existing alliance frameworks. The disputes over the Kurdish issue and S-400 deepened competition without leading to a rupture, but rather to a pattern of managed competition characterized by continued cooperation and crisis management
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