Is Turkey on moderation path in its foreign policy?
Conciliatory messages coming out of Ankara recently may appear as an effort to moderate Turkish foreign policy vis-a-vis the United States, Europe and Israel, but they are likely to be just maneuvering to weather the many stalemates in Turkey's foreign ties.
The old adage that one cannot pursue an active foreign policy without a robust economy is proving true once again in the case of Turkey’s ruling party. With Turkish troops now on the front lines in Syria and Libya, the party’s claim at a bold foreign policy has been realized, but Ankara lacks the wherewithal to sustain its high-cost ambitions, as evidenced by its desperate quest for currency swaps with various countries, which has been going on for weeks.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has badly aggravated its economic woes, Ankara feels pressed to open new chapters with estranged partners, trying to turn this extraordinary global turmoil into an opportunity. Atop gestures to the United States, Ankara has asserted commitment to its ties with the European Union and messaging with Israel has warmed amid rising stakes in the energy rivalry in the eastern Mediterranean.
