VIenna peace and security talks 2025

TÜRKIYE – AN AMBITIOUS REGIONAL AND GLOBAL ACTOR

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Türkiye’s strategic importance to European security and NATO has grown significantly. Its expanding defense industry, control over Black Sea routes, and complex relationship with Moscow, balancing cooperation and competition, have made it an increasingly influential regional actor. At the same time, Türkiye’s autonomous foreign policy and involvement in nearby conflicts, from the Middle East to the South Caucasus, highlight its ambition to shape regional dynamics and assert itself as a key power in Europe’s neighborhood.

Yet this growing influence comes with challenges. Democratic backsliding, tensions over migration, and stalled EU accession talks continue to complicate relations between Ankara and Brussels. Türkiye thus remains both an essential partner and a difficult one, capable of contributing to European stability but also of generating new tensions.

To unpack these dynamics, the 2025 Vienna Peace and Security Talks brought together experts to explore Türkiye’s evolving role in the international system and within the European security architecture. Discussions will focus on how the EU can engage Türkiye’s strategic potential while addressing democratic concerns and promoting a cooperative security partnership.

The conference was organized in cooperation with FES Regional Office for International Cooperation and Karl-Renner-Institut. 19 international experts discussed in three workshops, under Chatham-House Rules, the issues listed above. The event “The U.S.–Türkiye–EU Triangle: Between Tensions and Cooperation?” was open to the public - see the video below!

Event Video

Panelist INTERVIEWS