Tilting towards Russia, but anchored in NATO. Turkey’s foreign policy activism and its implications

Abstract

Turkey strengthened ties with Russia after the military coup attempt on July 15, 2016, triggering widespread concerns that Ankara is ‘drifting away’ from NATO. In this article, we argue that although a rapprochement has taken place, there is no Turkish realignment with Russia. Furthermore, an exit from NATO is regarded as unlikely. However, with its pursuit of greater strategic autonomy, Ankara risks marginalisation within NATO and could become a second-tier member of the alliance