Turkey represents a unique case of external differentiated integration within the European Union, characterized by extensive legal instruments, drivers of interdependence, and voluntary compliance with EU rules. Turkey’s relationship with the EU dates back to the 1963 Association Agreement, with a customs union for industrial products established in 1995. Turkey’s accession negotiations, which began in 2005, were effectively frozen in 2018 due to political backsliding in the country. Despite the current stagnation of Turkish accession, a significant degree of asymmetric interdependence exists between Turkey and the EU. Turkey acts as a rule taker in its relationship with the EU, shaped by its alignment with the EU acquis and adoption of EU rules, despite not being a full member. This paper aims to assess whether the current state of Turkey’s fragile relations with the EU can serve as a viable model of external differentiated integration. Turkish EDI offers an innovative framework for keeping Turkey anchored to the European order, where neither full membership nor a complete breakup appears plausible.