Turkey's choice: responding to security challenges through humanitarian norms with a revitalized EU anchor

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/s41311-017-0042-z

Our globalizing world is presently in a state of global turmoil. While felt everywhere in the world, it is the Middle East in general, and Syria and Iraq in particular, where the meaning and the implications of the global turmoil have recently coalesced. As a regional hegemon bordering Syria and Iraq, Turkey is situated at the heart of these challenges. Despite the existing stalemate in Turkey-EU relations, Turkey can deal with these challenges more effectively if Turkey and the EU work together to develop common responses to them on the basis of humanitarian principles and values. In line with the 'EU Global Strategy,' Turkey and the EU could work together to provide humanitarian and effective responses to significant security risks they face and play an important role in post-conflict reconstruction and mediation. There is a need to revitalize Turkey-EU relations in a way trust and collaboration replaces skepticism and instrumentalism.