Research Article

Türkiye’s Compartmentalized Hedging and Multi-Crisis Diplomacy: Ukraine, Gaza, and the Black Sea

Volume: 12 Number: 1 September 14, 2026
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Türkiye’s Compartmentalized Hedging and Multi-Crisis Diplomacy: Ukraine, Gaza, and the Black Sea

Abstract

This article examines Türkiye’s multi-crisis diplomacy in a multipolar international order by examining its engagement with the war in Ukraine, the war in Gaza, and the Black Sea region. While studies on middle powers and hedging explain strategic uncertainty, they offer limited insight into how states manage multiple crises simultaneously. To address this gap, the article develops the concept of compartmentalized hedging, defined as distinct alignment strategies across geopolitical theaters while maintaining strategic coherence. The article argues that Türkiye adopts issue-specific strategies rather than a uniform foreign policy orientation. In Ukraine, it combines mediation diplomacy with pragmatic cooperation with Russia while preserving NATO commitments. In Gaza, it emphasizes humanitarian and normative diplomacy. In the Black Sea, it prioritizes maritime security and regional stability while balancing alliance obligations and energy interdependence. Using a qualitative comparative case study design based on process tracing and document analysis, the study finds evidence that Türkiye’s foreign policy reflects strategic differentiation rather than ad hoc pragmatism, and tests this reading against two rival explanations. Findings contribute to middle power theory and hedging literature by showing that hedging can be fragmented across issue areas rather than uniformly applied at the state level, offering a new perspective on strategic autonomy in a crisis-driven international system.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

None.

References

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  3. Altunışık, M. B., & Martin, L. G. (2011). Making sense of Turkish foreign policy in the Middle East under AKP. Turkish Studies, 12(4), 569-587. https://doi.org/10.1080/14683849.2011.622513
  4. Ambrosetti, E. T. (2023). Tarafsız: Turkey’s Impartial Stance Vis-a-Vis Russia’s War Against Ukraine. In Polarization, shifting borders and liquid governance (pp. 367-382). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-44584-2_22
  5. Asmus, R. D. (2010). A little war that shook the world: Georgia, Russia, and the future of the West. Palgrave Macmillan.
  6. Ay, H. M., & Söylemez, A. (2023). Grain corridor agreement and Türkiye’s role in the Russia-Ukraine war. Journal of Islamic World and Politics, 7(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.18196/jiwp.v7i1.27
  7. Aydın, M. (2014). Turkish policy towards the wider Black Sea and the EU connection. Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, 16(3), 383-397. https://doi.org/10.1080/19448953.2014.928541
  8. Aydın, M., & Dizdaroğlu, C. (2020). Turkey’s Middle East Policies. In M. S. Roy & M. D. M. Quamar (Eds.), Changing Security Paradigm in West Asia: Regional and International Responses (pp. 39-54). KW Publishers. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003289807-4

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

International Politics, Turkish Foreign Policy

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Cüneyt Yılmaz *
0000-0003-1655-588X
Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti

Publication Date

September 14, 2026

Submission Date

June 11, 2026

Acceptance Date

September 9, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 12 Number: 1

APA
Yılmaz, C. (2026). Türkiye’s Compartmentalized Hedging and Multi-Crisis Diplomacy: Ukraine, Gaza, and the Black Sea. Artvin Çoruh Üniversitesi Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.22466/acusbd.1968901
AMA
1.Yılmaz C. Türkiye’s Compartmentalized Hedging and Multi-Crisis Diplomacy: Ukraine, Gaza, and the Black Sea. ACU-Int J Soc Sci. 2026;12(1). doi:10.22466/acusbd.1968901
Chicago
Yılmaz, Cüneyt. 2026. “Türkiye’s Compartmentalized Hedging and Multi-Crisis Diplomacy: Ukraine, Gaza, and the Black Sea”. Artvin Çoruh Üniversitesi Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 12 (1). https://doi.org/10.22466/acusbd.1968901.
EndNote
Yılmaz C (September 1, 2026) Türkiye’s Compartmentalized Hedging and Multi-Crisis Diplomacy: Ukraine, Gaza, and the Black Sea. Artvin Çoruh Üniversitesi Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 12 1
IEEE
[1]C. Yılmaz, “Türkiye’s Compartmentalized Hedging and Multi-Crisis Diplomacy: Ukraine, Gaza, and the Black Sea”, ACU-Int J Soc Sci, vol. 12, no. 1, Sept. 2026, doi: 10.22466/acusbd.1968901.
ISNAD
Yılmaz, Cüneyt. “Türkiye’s Compartmentalized Hedging and Multi-Crisis Diplomacy: Ukraine, Gaza, and the Black Sea”. Artvin Çoruh Üniversitesi Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi 12/1 (September 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.22466/acusbd.1968901.
JAMA
1.Yılmaz C. Türkiye’s Compartmentalized Hedging and Multi-Crisis Diplomacy: Ukraine, Gaza, and the Black Sea. ACU-Int J Soc Sci. 2026;12. doi:10.22466/acusbd.1968901.
MLA
Yılmaz, Cüneyt. “Türkiye’s Compartmentalized Hedging and Multi-Crisis Diplomacy: Ukraine, Gaza, and the Black Sea”. Artvin Çoruh Üniversitesi Uluslararası Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, vol. 12, no. 1, Sept. 2026, doi:10.22466/acusbd.1968901.
Vancouver
1.Cüneyt Yılmaz. Türkiye’s Compartmentalized Hedging and Multi-Crisis Diplomacy: Ukraine, Gaza, and the Black Sea. ACU-Int J Soc Sci. 2026 Sep. 1;12(1). doi:10.22466/acusbd.1968901

Artvin Coruh University International Journal of Social Sciences

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