The West refuses to acknowledge that Türkiye has strategic interests of its own in the Eastern Mediterranean, and in doing so risks alienating a crucial ally, Prince Michael of Liechtenstein said in an article published by the Geopolitical Intelligence Services (GIS) Reports on Tuesday.

The founder of the GIS said that the United States and Europe have made very little effort to understand Ankara’s viewpoint, underlining that Europe’s southeastern neighborhood (the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea region and the Caucasus) has long been an arena for prominent geopolitical actors to vie for influence, lying at the center of this crucial nexus.

"This presents Ankara with major challenges and responsibilities. The U.S., the EU, NATO, and Russia all have strategic interests in the area, and other important actors like Israel, Egypt, and Greece also have much at stake ... Many burning issues are taking place in Europe’s immediate vicinity, making it essential to understand the position and interests of the country at the nerve center of the region: Türkiye," he wrote.

"Türkiye, without a doubt the strongest power in the Eastern Mediterranean, is located at the crossroads between Europe and Asia and guards the access to the Black Sea against the Mediterranean through the Dardanelles and the Bosporus. It connects Europe with the Middle East, the Black Sea, and the Caucasus," he underlined.

Ankara needs a certain strategic autonomy in defending its interests, he said adding that Türkiye has the potential to stabilize the Middle East and could play an important role in Central Asia.

The U.S. and the EU ignore Turkish interests and constantly discredit the country on the international stage, Prince Michael said and added that this will backfire.

"Without Türkiye, Europe’s security and interests will be constantly challenged. If they made an effort to understand Ankara, Europeans would be rewarded with a safer and more stable immediate neighborhood," he further said.