Turkey’s Return To Hard Power: Concept Of The “Precious Loneliness

The end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union led to significant changes in the international system, bringing about several new realities. Among these were the reshaping of the geopolitical landscape, shifts in military-political power, the need for fresh relations with Russia, and the formation of three new states in Turkey’s immediate neighborhood—challenges that required a clear and thoughtful response from Turkey’s foreign policy. When the Justice and Development Party assumed power in Turkey in 2002, public diplomacy and soft power became essential elements of Turkey’s foreign policy. As a result of several geopolitical developments and changes in Turkey’s immediate neighborhood and the Middle East, hard power has reemerged as a key element in Turkey's foreign policy since the 2010s. This article explores the reintegration of hard power into Turkey's foreign policy, focusing specifically on Ahmet Davutoğlu and İbrahim Kalın, along with their respective approaches of "Zero Problems with Neighbors" and "Precious Loneliness." It aims to highlight that Turkey's foreign policy is a multifaceted and complex process, where various governmental institutions contribute and compete to influence the formulation and execution of foreign policy. In addition to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other entities, such as the Ministry of National Defense and the National Intelligence Organization, are playing increasingly important roles in shaping the country’s foreign policy