TURKIYE’S EXPANDING INTERESTS IN CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES

This article examines the transformation of Turkiye's strategic and economic engagement with Central Asia since 2018, arguing that Ankara has shifted from primarily cultural/linguistic outreach to an integrated strategic-economic toolkit combining infrastructure diplomacy (Middle Corridor), targeted energy partnerships, trade and investment initiatives, security cooperation, and multilateral institution-building (Organization of Turkic States).The study assesses whether Turkiye's approach constitutes a coherent project for regional influence or remains opportunistic and state-by-state.The paper contributes to debates on great power competition in Eurasia by mapping linkages between economic connectivity and security alignment, and by testing hypotheses about the effectiveness of shared Turkic identity as a mobilizing factor for durable geopolitical partnerships.