Introduction
Since the end of the Cold War, Türkiye has pursued active diplomacy in the Balkans, establishing itself as a leading regional actor. During the 1990s, characterized by the uncertainties of transitioning to a new world order and ongoing conflicts, Türkiye’s Balkan policy placed a strong emphasis on security. However, from the early 2000s onwards, Türkiye began to deepen its economic and social relations with the Balkans by employing new instruments. While Türkiye continued its military and defense activities in the region, they did not dominate Türkiye’s Balkan policy as they did in the 1990s.
Recent developments indicate a revival of the military and defense aspects of Türkiye’s relations with the Balkans. Although this trend has not been extensively examined in academic literature, it has garnered some attention from the media and analysts. Recent media reports have highlighted Türkiye’s increased military engagements in the Balkans, especially through military exports, and commentators have interpreted this trend as indicative of Türkiye’s growing prominence as a dominant actor in the region.1
This article will focus on Türkiye’s presence in the Balkans in the defense and military fields since the end of the Cold War, with a particular emphasis on the rising activism since the late 2010s.2 It will first examine how Türkiye contributed to the Balkans with its military during the 1990s, characterized by conflicts and crises, and after 2001, when peace prevailed in the region. The article will then discuss Türkiye’s current military engagements, which include both the processes started in earlier periods and a new trend of intensified military and
