Türkiye’s and the EU’s Coordinated and Divergent Approaches to the 2011 Syrian Crisis

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This study examines Türkiye’s and the EU’s reactions to the Syrian civil war by using the concept of normative power. This conceptual framework is preferred to explain and evaluate whether Türkiye’s and the EU’s reactions to the Syrian crisis matched the value-based approach. The study argues that Türkiye and the EU have differences and similarities in their policies toward the Syrian crisis. It further posits that rather than taking an ally or value-based approach, Türkiye and the EU have decided to put their national interests in their reactions regarding the Syrian conflict in certain areas of war and some regions. Türkiye and the EU have suffered especially on security issues resulting from the Syrian crisis. Furthermore, the Syrian crisis led to economic difficulties, humanitarian traumas, and challenges for Türkiye and the EU in the social and political spheres. As a result, in certain areas of conflict and some issues, both Türkiye and the EU have attempted to prioritize their interest first. Therefore, these actors have not taken a value-based stance on some matters. Nonetheless, Türkiye and the EU offered massive humanitarian aid several times and desired the Syrian crisis to end.