Leave NATO? This is Turkey, there is a higher chance of them getting admitted into the EU than them actually leaving NATO, it’s the one place they get to flex their muscles and force the rest of Europe to give them concessions.
I’ve always seen Turkey’s NATO membership as a bargaining chip for EU membership. And I think it’s becoming obvious to Erdogan that the EU is collapsing and even if they were given membership, it won’t bring economic prosperity. Erdogan is openly defying US sanctions on Iran, wanting to join BRICS and SCO. The US will not like that at all.
I agree with you on flexing. I think Erdogan is leveraging NATO in any way he can to get something for Turkey. NATO is a financial burden and dysfunctional mess, which is especially evident now with Ukraine. Turkey has the largest ground force army in NATO and what will that bring if NATO directly engages with Russia? Probably the most deaths out of all NATO nations if he went along with it. If Erdogan wants something better for Turkey, he’ll find it on the other side of the alliance, and I think he’s waking up to that.
Leave NATO? This is Turkey, there is a higher chance of them getting admitted into the EU than them actually leaving NATO, it’s the one place they get to flex their muscles and force the rest of Europe to give them concessions.
In my opinion:
I’ve always seen Turkey’s NATO membership as a bargaining chip for EU membership. And I think it’s becoming obvious to Erdogan that the EU is collapsing and even if they were given membership, it won’t bring economic prosperity. Erdogan is openly defying US sanctions on Iran, wanting to join BRICS and SCO. The US will not like that at all.
I agree with you on flexing. I think Erdogan is leveraging NATO in any way he can to get something for Turkey. NATO is a financial burden and dysfunctional mess, which is especially evident now with Ukraine. Turkey has the largest ground force army in NATO and what will that bring if NATO directly engages with Russia? Probably the most deaths out of all NATO nations if he went along with it. If Erdogan wants something better for Turkey, he’ll find it on the other side of the alliance, and I think he’s waking up to that.