For geographical, strategic, political, and military reasons, Turkey is considered relevant in the substantive debates surrounding the reorganisation of European security, especially at a time of unforeseen circumstances in transatlantic relations. Notwithstanding its importance, trust in Turkey has steadily eroded among the EU member states in the last decade. Moreover, Turkish interests and those of EU member states do not always overlap.

While individual European states engage with Turkey on security and defence matters, such as Ankara’s participation in the German-led European Sky Shield Initiative, Poland’s purchase of Turkish drones, or close defence cooperation with Spain, Italy, Ukraine, there lacks a comprehensive Europe-wide strategic discussion on the implications of Turkey's inclusion into or exclusion from European security mechanisms.

With the involvement of research and policy institutions from across Europe, particularly those pivotal to European security, this collaborative initiative led by the SWP’s Centre for Applied Turkey Studies (CATS) seeks to address the existing gap in understanding the complexities surrounding Turkey's possible role within and for European security. By delving into the delicate balance between Turkey's strategic and military assets and Ankara’s aspiration for strategic autonomy (from its Western allies), the latest CATS reports on the topic aim to explore the advantages and disadvantages of having Turkey not only contribute to Europe’s security order but also have an active voice in it.