A mediação internacional como reflexo da política externa turca: a atuação da Turquia no primeiro ano do conflito Rússia–Ucrânia (2022–2023)

Abstract

The Russia–Ukraine conflict (2022–present) has renewed debates on the role of third parties in the management of international crises. In this context, Turkey’s engagement during the first year of the war stood out due to its unique position between the parties and its active maintenance of diplomatic channels. The central objective of this thesis is to examine how Turkish mediation between 2022 and 2023 functioned as a foreign policy instrument driven by the pursuit of strategic autonomy. To this end, the study adopts a qualitative approach based on bibliographic review and a case-study design, grounded in the theoretical framework of international mediation, with particular emphasis on the instrumentalist perspective. The findings indicate that, although the conflict did not present mature conditions for substantive negotiations, Turkey achieved significant diplomatic gains, most notably its leadership in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. The study concludes that Turkish mediation operated as a strategic mechanism for affirming autonomy and enhancing international projection in an increasingly fragmented global environment