"Axis of Türkiye" has become the country’s new foreign policy motto amid election campaigns. Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalın on Wednesday elaborated on the "axis" concept, which reflects what Türkiye has been pursuing recently.
Addressing a conference entitled "Century of Turkish Foreign Policy" in the capital Ankara organized by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), Kalın underlined that the "Axis of Türkiye" did not mean that the country belonged to one particular bloc in a multipolar world.
"When Türkiye took steps for its national interests, they (the West) criticized us and claimed it was distancing itself from the Western axis and is not a reliable NATO partner. They tried to exert pressure on us, but we overcame it. Türkiye is building its axis with determination," he said. He described the "Axis of Türkiye" as analyzing and implementing a 360-degree foreign policy based on the country’s rights and interests. "Our membership in the NATO alliance and inclusion in Western security architecture are not obstacles for us to maintain good relations with Russia, China, Africa, the Middle East and other regions. It is already impossible to adhere to one pole in this multipolar world. Türkiye responds to this new geopolitical necessity while analyzing the world based on its own geography. Türkiye does not have a narrow viewpoint or a selfish stance or view of the world. The 'Axis of Türkiye' means a perspective prioritizing Türkiye’s foreign policy with local and national elements without self-isolation," he said.
Kalın emphasized that the geography where Türkiye's historical ties existed became a great strategic advantage for the country. "Everyone has naturally turned to Türkiye and specifically, to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's leadership diplomacy when problems emerged in the Balkans, in the Caucasus region and the Middle East.
He noted that the world was going through a time of uncertainty, unpredictability and agnosticism and Türkiye’s "axis" was based on intervening in global issues through diplomacy and leadership. He added that Türkiye strived to merge "soft power" and "hard power" to create "smart power," referring to Türkiye's efforts in the defense industry and the work of Türkiye's cultural and social agencies like the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) around the world.
Kalın stressed that his country has never been involved in any initiatives not serving its national interests and rights and "will not be" in the future, adding it also did not remain uninterested or neutral in the face of any initiative targeting Türkiye’s interests and rights.
He reiterated Türkiye’s readiness to help mediate peace between Russia and Ukraine. "Türkiye is a country that can talk to both sides and take a role to prevent the conflict through negotiations. The Russia-Ukraine conflict is a war between Russia and the West. We had to work on negotiations before thousands of people died. We have to create global security," he said.
Ties with Armenia
The presidential spokesperson also touched upon Türkiye’s relations with Armenia in his speech at the conference. He said they launched a normalization process with Türkiye’s neighbor to build an environment of peace and stability in the region. He noted that it would also help Armenia in terms of the economy.
Türkiye and Armenia have had no diplomatic or commercial ties for three decades, and the talks are the first attempt to restore links since a 2009 peace accord. That deal was never ratified, and connections have remained tense. Following the war over Karabakh in which Türkiye supported Azerbaijan against Armenia, Turkish-Armenian relations have entered a new phase, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan saying Türkiye is ready for dialogue with Armenia. Azerbaijan also helps the process.
Most recently, the land border between the two countries was opened for trucks carrying humanitarian aid following the Feb. 6 earthquakes and Armenian officials announced that they plan to open them permanently. In addition, there is already direct air traffic between Armenia and Türkiye.