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Journals / Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli Üniversitesi SBE Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 16 Sayı: 1

Soft balancing in Türkiye-USA relations during the Biden era: An analysis in terms of multilateral diplomacy and economic diversification

Biden döneminde Türkiye-ABD ilişkilerinde yumuşak dengeleme: Çok taraflı diplomasi ve ekonomik çeşitlendirme boyutlarıyla bir analiz

İbrahim Kurnaz(SELÇUK ÜNİVERSİTESİ, İKTİSADİ VE İDARİ BİLİMLER FAKÜLTESİ, ULUSLARARASI İLİŞKİLER BÖLÜMÜ)0000-0001-7228-6536
Pages
418–436
Publication Date
2026-03-26
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings reveal that during the Biden era, Turkey avoided direct conflict and tried to limit the influence of the US through multilateral diplomacy, institutional cooperation (NATO, SCO, OIC, TDT, D-8), and economic tools.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study examines the impact of US foreign policy on Turkish foreign policy during the Joe Biden era (2021-2025) in the context of the soft balancing strategy.
📊
Key Findings & Data:The main purpose of the study is to examine the strategic orientations that emerged in Turkey’s foreign policy during the Biden era and to place these orientations within a theoretical framework in the context of soft balancing shaped by multilateral diplomacy and economic diversification steps.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings reveal that during the Biden era, Turkey avoided direct conflict and tried to limit the influence of the US through multilateral diplomacy, institutional cooperation (NATO, SCO, OIC, TDT, D-8), and economic tools.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:2021-2025 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Yumuşak Dengeleme · Joe Biden Dönemi · Türk Dış Politikası

Abstract

This study examines the impact of US foreign policy on Turkish foreign policy during the Joe Biden era (2021-2025) in the context of the soft balancing strategy. The main purpose of the study is to examine the strategic orientations that emerged in Turkey’s foreign policy during the Biden era and to place these orientations within a theoretical framework in the context of soft balancing shaped by multilateral diplomacy and economic diversification steps. Based on Paul and Pape’s soft balancing approach as a theoretical framework, the study adopts a descriptive-interpretive foreign policy analysis approach using a qualitative research method through foreign policy discourses, official documents, international organization reports and academic literature. The findings reveal that during the Biden era, Turkey avoided direct conflict and tried to limit the influence of the US through multilateral diplomacy, institutional cooperation (NATO, SCO, OIC, TDT, D-8), and economic tools. This strategy provided Turkey with the opportunity to both remain within the Western alliance and gain autonomy at the regional level. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that Turkey’s soft balancing strategy, unlike classical military balancing, operates through institutional, normative and diplomatic tools. Thus, it reveals that it has strengthened its capacity to produce strategic autonomy as a medium-sized state.

Özet

Bu çalışma, Joe Biden dönemi (2021-2025) ABD dış politikasının Türk dış politikası üzerindeki etkilerini yumuşak dengeleme stratejisi bağlamında incelemektedir. Çalışmanın temel amacı, Biden dönemiyle birlikte Türkiye’nin dış politikasında ortaya çıkan stratejik yönelimleri incelemek ve bu yönelimleri çok taraflı diplomasi ile ekonomik çeşitlendirme adımlarının şekillendirdiği yumuşak dengeleme bağlamında kuramsal bir çerçeveye yerleştirmektir. Teorik çerçeve olarak Paul’ün ve Pape’nin yumuşak dengeleme yaklaşımını esas alan çalışma, nitel bir araştırma yöntemi kullanarak, dış politika söylemleri, resmi belgeler, uluslararası örgüt raporları ve akademik literatür üzerinden açıklayıcı-yorumlayıcı dış politika analizi yaklaşımını benimsemektedir. Bulgular, Türkiye’nin Biden döneminde doğrudan çatışmadan kaçınarak çok taraflı diplomasi, kurumsal işbirlikleri (NATO, ŞİÖ, İİT, TDT, D-8) ve ekonomik araçlar aracılığıyla ABD’nin etkisini sınırlamaya çalıştığını ortaya koymaktadır. Bu strateji, Türkiye’ye hem Batı ittifakı içinde kalma hem de bölgesel düzeyde özerklik kazanma olanağı sağlamıştır. Sonuç olarak çalışma, Türkiye’nin yumuşak dengeleme stratejisinin klasik askeri dengelemeden farklı olarak kurumsal, normatif ve diplomatik araçlar üzerinden işlediğini; böylece orta ölçekli bir devlet olarak stratejik otonomi üretme kapasitesini güçlendirdiğini ortaya koymaktadır.

🔖

Cite This Article

Kurnaz, İ. (2026). Soft balancing in Türkiye-USA relations during the Biden era: An analysis in terms of multilateral diplomacy and economic diversification. Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli Üniversitesi SBE Dergisi, Cilt: 16 Sayı: 1, 418–436. https://doi.org/10.30783/nevsosbilen.1827782

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