A New Perspective on the Profound Ties between Turkiye and the Western Balkans: A Case Study of Albania and Kosovo

There’s no doubt that between the state of Turkiye and the Western Balkan states, and in this context: the states of Albania and Kosovo, there’s a profound and an historic relation that encompasses a larger space in which history, economy, social capital and regional politics intertwine in a very positive and constructive structure, and all this being achieved: having in mind the existing complexity and challenges that engulf the region of the Western Balkans in which Albania and Kosovo are important political and regional factors.
Turkiye holding its Natural Position (Ibish & Ferhad, WESTERN BALKANS, TÜRKİYE AND THE CONCEPT OF NATURAL POSITION, 2023) for its legitimacy and effective involvement in the region of the Western Balkans, and in its relations with Albania and Kosovo (especially after 1997 in the case of Kosovo), have been involved deeply in recent history, but also there’s a plenty of space for further improvements and deeper cooperation, and this not only for the benefits of this triangle, but this cooperation helps substantially the region of the Western Balkans and Turkiye, having in mind the political stability, economic development and regional perpetual peace.
The aim of this paper is to analyze the relationship between Turkiye, Albania and Kosovo in terms of their historical, economic and geo-political structures, and while utilizing the concept of Natural position we will see the possibilities for a redefinition of the Turkiye’s position in its involvement in Albania and Kosovo, and also the perspective of the EU integration and regional development will be discussed.