Now is the time to question the future of Türkiye-US relations, China-US relations, and Russia-US relations, and to put in the effort to make accurate assessments. For quite some time now, "traditional structures and institutions" have been severely eroding on a global scale. They had been losing their functionality. But with Trump's arrival, this "erosion and destruction" started to have an earthquake-like impact.
The question of whether the particularly destructive state of US-Europe relations—seen for the first time since World War II—marks the beginning of a dark period for Europe has now become significant. Could it be that the end of history has arrived for the traditional colonial powers after five hundred years?
What will the absence of the US, which has repeatedly saved Europe from threats, mean for Continental Europe in the future? The answers to these questions need to be found at this very moment.
Could a new European civil war break out?
Global frameworks are being dismantled...
While we might read the situation as Europe being left to face Russia alone, there’s a more crucial question: Does this process open the door for a new European civil war? After all, both world wars began as European civil wars before turning into global conflicts. Are we on the brink of a new era like this? This is a critical question.
Trump’s actions, which have upended both the internal political order of the US and the traditional global system, have triggered a kind of "repositioning" across the world. As he cuts thousands of jobs within the US and dismantles major institutions globally in the name of "revising the system," he is also eradicating global upper structures and dismantling restrictive frameworks that set rules for nations and peoples.
Who will fill the vacuum?
How will Ukraine be divided?
We view this as the "regionalization of the US" since it is withdrawing from all global frameworks. Even its commitment to NATO is under discussion. However, we don’t yet know what kind of world will be shaped by the vacuum created by the US regionalizing.
We can’t predict exactly how China, Russia, Türkiye, Germany, and India will fill this void or how the "regional superpower" dynamics will unfold.
The war in Syria to the south of Türkiye is over, and the war in Ukraine to its north could also end soon. Trump and Putin will negotiate this in Saudi Arabia in a way that leaves Europe out of the picture. In other words, the two countries will divide Ukraine. Russia will keep the territories it has occupied, and the US will collect what it is owed from Ukraine’s resources.
The Munich Security Summit fight: Germany and France fall into a trap
What will happen to Europe’s fear of Russia? Can Europe, which sent Ukraine as a pawn against Russia and is preparing to do the same with Poland and Eastern Europe, handle this kind of war? Will they be able to finance it? If the US and Russia come to an agreement, will they even have the means to do so?
I don’t think so. If you look at the verbal sparring between US and German representatives at the Munich Security Summit, the issues go far beyond the Ukraine war. Especially if the US pulls its forces from Europe, the German-French axis will be isolated as the biggest losers in political history.
The expulsion of France from Africa and resources, and Germany’s break with Russia and the loss of resources, were painful traps set by the US. Both countries fell into them. In the end, beyond economic crises, both countries are geopolitically trapped in their own spheres.
What happened to that “European arrogance”?
It’s no coincidence that the debate over a "European army" is starting again, or that Germany is surprisingly encouraging closer ties with Türkiye. The “kind” words we’re hearing from German politicians are also not a coincidence. They know that European defense is impossible without Türkiye. The arrogance of "Old Europe" is now gone!
Why should Türkiye sacrifice itself for Europe’s defense?
Why should Türkiye defend Europe? Why would it do that? While trying to build something else in its own geography and map out partnerships from East Africa to Central Asia, why should Türkiye sacrifice this grand ideal for Europe’s defense? Why should it once again imprison itself in Europe’s selfish interests? Why should it risk the power it has built by clashing with the US? Can Türkiye forget how Europe has belittled it for decades?
Türkiye will globalize, Europe will localize!
As Türkiye grows and Europe shrinks, Türkiye forms its own axis while Europe remains trapped in its own continent. Türkiye is globalizing, while Europe is localizing. In this era, Türkiye's state memory and imperial thinking will not be swayed by daily winds. When a new history begins a century later, Türkiye will not submit to Europe's helplessness.
European political thought should have foreseen this future. German political thinking should have anticipated history repeating itself. But their arrogance poisoned them, and they couldn’t grasp the reshaped global power map.
But for the Muslim world, ethnic cleansing—really?
However, we will not see an absolute separation between the US and Europe. When it comes to the Muslim world, we know they will form partnerships for certain objectives. We’ve seen this in Europe for the past thousand years, and we’ve seen it in US-Europe relations over the past hundred years.
As Trump pursues a strategy of ending the war in Ukraine, improving ties with Russia, and de-escalating tensions with China, his devastating goals regarding Palestine and the Muslim world—ranging from genocide to ethnic cleansing—remind us of this possibility. It is a clear warning.
Let’s not seek a path on “someone else’s map” anymore...
Türkiye and the Muslim world, or the geography we call "ours," should focus on their own search. We should not waste the opportunity that has emerged for the first time since the 20th century. Entering a search for a path between the US’s new quest, Russia and China’s relationships, and Europe’s seemingly helpless state could lead to wasting the 21st century.
This geography must leave behind the search for "refuge" or "being on someone else’s side." We must abandon the search for a way within other people’s power maps.
What I’ve been trying to highlight for a long time is that, if we, the center of the world—spanning from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast—cannot create our own power sphere, there will be no future for the geography. We will get lost among wars, internal conflicts, poverty, identity struggles, political guardianship, and economic plundering.
Türkiye's position is historically significant.
Türkiye has quietly followed the "Trump World," the rapprochement between the US and Russia, and the US and Russia’s relations with Europe. At the same time, it has tried to solidify its own roadmap and expand its partnership map. Türkiye has shown maximum sensitivity in maintaining and strengthening its relationships with both the US and Russia.
After the war in Syria ends (though territorial integrity has not yet been completed), the end of the war in Ukraine/Black Sea will provide relief for Türkiye. However, we should note that peace initiatives excluding Türkiye will not have long-lasting effects.
As a regional superpower, we should acknowledge that the new relationships between the US and Russia will produce "new outcomes" on Türkiye’s power map, impacting many regions from the Middle East to Central Asia.
In such a period, we can say that Türkiye will be a focal point for action based on its historical claims.
Domestic political calculations in Türkiye will collapse, and some will be left without support.
The effects of Trump’s actions in the US and globally have not yet become fully apparent. Right now, the focus is on how to prevent the "ethnic cleansing" catastrophe in Gaza. We’re observing this through Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia's preparedness. However, the new relationship between great powers could lead to even bigger shocks in the regions.
Though not much attention is being paid to it, this new era could deeply affect Türkiye’s domestic political trends. Political cadres, structures, and targets supported by the US and Europe could collapse. Election-related design calculations may fall apart.
These groups could be left without support. In a time when everyone remains silent on democracy and freedom of expression, agendas and structures marketed as "civil" could reach the end of the road.
"Guardian" groups inside will be dismantled.
Now, Türkiye and the world will open doors for different kinds of negotiations. In the "Patron States" era, no state will allow "guardian" mechanisms to persist within. As the US undergoes a major purge of its own guardian apparatus, similar purges might occur in Türkiye and many other countries.
Not only will internal "guardian" mechanisms be dismantled, but even "global guardian" mechanisms are collapsing. One example of this is the tragic discussions at the Munich Security Summit between the US and Germany, which marked the end of one of the Cold War-era mechanisms to control Europe. We will witness much more dramatic examples.
TÜSİAD made a fatal mistake!
At this point, the door is opening for "Regional Superpowers." No negotiations will proceed according to the old criteria. Much tougher, more realistic, and more results-driven tables will be set.
In such a period, TÜSİAD, as one of the internal guardian apparatuses of Türkiye, made the biggest mistake in its history. Using the old habit of "adjusting the state," it made a move. But for these guardian structures, history has come to an end.
TÜSİAD should have been in a serious panic about this. Maybe, like Europe, they failed to foresee the future.
Türkiye will get what it wants, and Europe will say "yes."
We can make the following notes about the first results of the new era:
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