TURKEY AND THE EU: ISSUES AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

In the last decade, the relations between Turkey and the European Union have been characterized by periods of ups and downs. Although the two sides recognize the importance of economic cooperation, relations remain complicated on the political front. Contrary to the statements of the Western press, Ankara's foreign policy aimed at protecting national interests is not the choice of just a government, but of the entire country. The ineffective past years showed that joining the ranks of " civilized countries " did not justify itself both economically and culturally, and the reluctance of Europe to accept Ankara as an equal partner at the heart of the disagreements between Turkey and the EU led the country to reconsider the direction of its foreign policy. As a result, the western vector gradually lost its importance in Turkish geopolitics.