Turkey has been charged with changing axis for a while, but the question is, whose axis is shifting? Turkey’s confidence is rising as it gains in respect due to its recent initiatives. Only in foreign policy is there really a change of direction: it is apparent that Turkey, from now on, will act more autonomously. If necessary, it will define its interests separately from its traditional allies. Turkey will be less open than it was in the past to unilateral requests from the European Union and US. In short, Turkey will not now do whatever it’s asked to do.
That has to do with the changing dynamics of international politics rather than any animosity to the West. It is time to recall a basic, perhaps banal, fact of global politics: the cold war ended 20 years ago and the nature of Turkey’s role as alliance partner has clearly changed.
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