Türkiye’s Promotion of the Integration of Turkic States: Context, Practice, and Influence

In the context of the “New Great Game” in Central Asia, Türkiye has taken advantage of the image of “Turkic leadership” created by the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, seized the opportunity of U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, and actively promoted and led the integration of Turkic-speaking States. Türkiye’s enthusiasm is a manifestation of its strategic adjustment that puts greater emphasis on strategic autonomy. In this process, Türkiye’s primary advantage lies in its soft power; its main approach is to foster multilateral cooperation alongside bilateral partnerships. The core focus remains on energy and trade collaboration. Pan-Turkic cooperation is subject to varying considerations regarding extraterritorial powers by Russia, China, and Iran. The impact of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) on Eurasian geopolitical dynamics will depend on its ability to avoid being manipulated as a pawn in the great powers’ geopolitical competition.

Keywords: Central Asia, multilateral cooperation, regional integration, Organization of Turkic States, Türkiye.