NATO Summit: Implications for Turkish Foreign Policy

At the end of the Lisbon Summit, almost all of Ankara’s primary concerns were addressed, including not naming Iran or Syria as threats to obtain ballistic missile capability. As a result, Turkey went along with all the decisions taken collectively by the Alliance. The Lisbon summit proved that Turkey is firmly anchored in the Western security and defense community of democratic countries and that Turkey’s strategic Westernness appeared alive and well, despite some hiccups. As for its sociopolitical Westernness, devoid of a forceful EU anchor, the energy and stamina to build it would have to be generated by Turkey’s inner resources.