1、 NO.25 APRIL 2022 Introduction Perceptions in Turkey about the War in Ukraine Implications for the Future of EU-Turkey Relations Sinem Adar Undermining the foundational pillars of the postCold War security order,Vladimir Putins war against Ukraine is a watershed event for Europe and the wider world,
2、Tur-key included.While Ankara is trying to protect its economy and security interests,anti-Western narratives dominate the public debate.The war has indeed accentuated anti-Westernism as one of the main fault lines of political competition.Given the geo-political imperatives that February 24 brought
3、 to the fore,it is highly likely that,in the short-term,Turkeys NATO membership and its Association Agreement with the EU will geopolitically and economically continue to anchor it to the West.Whether or not a full strategic alignment with the EU will accompany such an anchoring is far from cer-tain
4、,however,mainly due to Turkeys domestic political dynamics,but also due to the unclarity about how far the EU is willing to move beyond a transactional approach.In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine,Ankara has so far hedged its bets and protected its economy and security interests.Turkey ha