Autore: Francesco Narcisi – 06/02/2026
Mar Egeo, Mediterraneo Orientale e Levante: Ankara plasma il suo vicinato
Francesco Narcisi
Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant: Ankara reshapes its neighbourhood
ABSTRACT – This article examines Turkey’s contemporary strategic posture in the Aegean Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Levant, focusing on the evolution and operationalization of the Blue Homeland (Mavi Vatan) doctrine. Emerging from a reassessment of Turkey’s post-Ottoman strategic depth, Mavi Vatan redefines maritime space as a core component of national sovereignty and power projection. The article analyzes the doctrinal, military, legal, and societal dimensions of Turkey’s maritime turn, highlighting naval modernization, indigenous defense production, and the construction of a national maritime pedagogy aimed at legitimizing expansionist claims. Particular attention is devoted to Ankara’s interpretation of maritime law, notably its expansive reading of Exclusive Economic Zone rights, which often approaches the legal and strategic logic of the continental shelf and challenges the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. These interpretations have intensified tensions with Greece and Cyprus and reshaped regional alignments in the Eastern Mediterranean. The article further situates Turkey’s maritime strategy within its broader pursuit of strategic depth on land, focusing on Syria as a pivotal arena of influence and competition, especially vis-à-vis Israel. The consolidation of Turkish influence in post-Assad Syria, the resolution of the Kurdish question, and Israel’s countermeasures underscore the Levant’s centrality in the emerging rivalry for regional hegemony. Overall, the analysis argues that Turkey’s maritime and regional strategies form an integrated project aimed at redefining Ankara’s role as a middle power with global ambitions.
Keywords: Turkey, Israel, Syria, Blue Homeland, Aegean Sea.
Seguita a leggere, scarica l’Analytical Dossier AD_08_2026 ISSN 2704-6419
Francesco Narcisi – Laureato in giurisprudenza presso l’Università degli Studi Roma Tre, ha in seguito frequentato la Scuola di Geopolitica e di Governo di Limes e frequenta il master di II livello in Geopolitica e Sicurezza Globale presso l’Università La Sapienza di Roma. Ha pubblicazioni per Limes, MasiraX, Analytical Dossier, Studi Internazionali e lo I.A.R.I (Istituto Analisi Relazioni Internazionali) di cui è stato Junior Analyst. Ha svolto un tirocinante presso Stato Maggiore della Marina Militare.