Because of Europe’s short-sightedness, Turkey has in effect abandoned its ambitions for EU membership and opted for the neo-Ottoman project of becoming a Middle Eastern power – a policy shift that reflects both interests and ideology. On the one hand, Turkey views regional dominance as a stepping-stone to a greater global role; on the other hand, it views itself as a role model for successful modernization of the Middle East on an Islamic-democratic basis.
由于欧洲的短视，土耳其实际上放弃了自己的入盟梦想并转而走上了一条寻求成为中东重要势力的准土耳其帝国之路——而这也是一条反映出其利益和意识形态的政策。一方面，土耳其将区域称霸视为晋身全球势力的垫脚石；另一方面，该国也将自身视为中东地区成功实现伊斯兰民主现代化的楷模。