The Balkans have always had important strategic significance for Türkiye due to its geographical proximity and historical, political, and economic ties. The objectives of this article are several: first, to offer brief information on Turkish foreign policy toward the Balkans during the rule of the Justice and Development Party (AKP in Turkish) since 2002. The text argues that the main tool of Ankara’s engagement with the region is soft power. Secondly, another aim of the text is to explore whether features of Turkish foreign policy in other regions are also applicable to the Balkans. While most authors note an increased militarization of Turkish foreign policy in the period 2016–2020—especially in the Middle East—after an extensive review of the foreign policy instruments used by Türkiye, the article demonstrates that soft power remains the key characteristic of Türkiye's foreign policy vis-à-vis the Balkans. Thus, it can be argued that the Balkans serve as a case study, showing that the hypothesis of the militarization of Turkish foreign policy is not universally applicable. The use of hard power in the Middle East by Türkiye is meant to counter direct threats to its national security, while no such threats emanate from the Balkans. At the same time, NATO and EU integration are other factors that pacify the region, leading to an emphasis on the use of non-military foreign policy instruments.