The article examines the 1945–1952 period in Turkish history and contrasts it with what has happened since 1989. The initial period is characterized as Turkey's anchoring in the West, whereas the latter is considered a period of detachment of the West. The aim of the article is to understand whether there really has been a sea change in Turkish foreign policy today or whether the basic principles of 1945–1952 still are embedded in policymaking. For that purpose the developments between 1945–1952 are analysed in detail and compared with the policy developments since 1989. The article argues that what we can see is a contextual shift rather than a sea change in Turkey's foreign policy paradigm. Turkey's Western orientation has become much less predictable and vulnerable due to domestic and external developments but its basic Western orientation has remained.