Abstract: until the 1950s, Turkey’s participation in the Middle East was somewhat limited due to the ideology of its founding father. Mustafa Kemal’s policy was directed against interference in the affairs of other countries. From the 1990s to the present, the authorities have adopted tougher approaches to the Middle East, which has strengthened greatly their relations with the countries of the region. However, this new activism calls into question the impact of the recent focus on the Middle East on Turkey’s foreign policy. This article theorizes how Turkey has used its geopolitical position in recent years to implement its foreign policy in the Middle East region. The study suggests that Turkey acts as an energy transit hub between the Middle East and many regions of the world, which pays dividends on its stock exchange. Again, in recent years, the Middle East region has been covered by terrorist activities. Turkey, on the other hand, calls counter-terrorism a key element of its regional policy, realizing that regional conflicts can potentially move to its territory. The active activity of the authorities in the fight against terrorism in the region has further pushed Turkey to strengthen relations with countries such as Syria, Iran and Iraq, where terrorist groups usually originate.
Keywords: Turkey, Middle East, foreign policy, soft power, energy security