Risk of Turkey’s expansionist project to Europe

Sarah Rashad

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expansionist ambitions no longer disturb countries, as they seem intended only for the Arab states, but there is a new change entering Europe within the scope of those affected by Turkish policies.

The most notable changes are the advances made by the armed militias in the Libyan capital of Tripoli with the support of Turkey in recent weeks, only 200 kilometers from the southern coast of Europe.

Slavish response

Despite criticism from European officials, including EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, towards Turkish policies in Libya, the media has criticized the European response to Turkey’s support of terrorist militias in Libya, describing the response as servile and weak.

The European Center for Counterterrorism and Intelligence Studies in Germany was one of the parties that criticized the European response, warning in a study entitled “Libya: An International Security Crisis and the Effects of the European Role” about the implications of these policies on European security.

The study concluded that Europe’s stance towards the crisis in Libya is “defeatist and weak”, adding that it is not even possible to start implementing the results of the January Berlin summit on the Libyan crisis.

“Erdogan has already succeeded in implementing his policy in the Middle East and threatening Europe, in front of European slackness, Russian agreement and turning a blind eye to American insistence,” the study continued.

The study explained that there is an absence of a unified European position among the countries that are most affected and have a role in the Libyan crisis, pointing out, “All governments in Paris, London, Berlin and Rome stress the need to reach a political solution to the Libyan crisis, but it is clear that there is a difference between those governments in the interpretation of this position according to the different interests among themselves.”

However, the Turkish intervention is expected to cause these governments to make concessions in order to reach an effective European position that is capable of contributing to solving the situation in Libya.

The study said that Erdogan’s storming of Libya from the military gate, along with Russia’s increasing influence in the country, may push European countries, especially France, Italy, Britain and Germany, to adopt closer and clearer positions regarding the Libyan issue.

Threat to Europe

Even if the Libyan crisis clearly reveals the dangers of Turkish policies to Europe, Erdogan’s expansion project itself represents a threat to the Europeans. Ever since Erdogan’s accession to power and changing the government to a presidential system, threatening neighboring countries has been a dominant feature.