In the 2020s, Türkiye began actively expanding cooperation with the Turkic states within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). Ankara has shown particular interest in the idea of “Turkic unity,” and Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan aims to establish himself as a regional leader. In 2019, he first voiced the principle of “One nation, six states,” which implies a union of six Turkic states, i.e. Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. While strengthening economic, cultural, and social ties with the countries in Central Asia, Türkiye is also actively expanding military and technical cooperation. The spread of Türkiye’s influence goes against the geopolitical objectives of other political actors in the region. The competition for a dominant position in the region between Türkiye and, primarily, Russia and China, is only expected to intensify, leading to new disagreements. This article examines Türkiye’s growing cooperation with Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan in the 2020s and makes an attempt to assess the extent of its influence in these countries in comparison with other key regional players.
Central Asia; Türkiye; Kyrgyzstan; Uzbekistan; Turkmenistan; Organization of Turkic States; OTS; Pan-Turkism; “Turkic unity”; international relations; trade; economy; energy cooperation; military-industrial complex.