A Roundtable on Turkish-American Relations

Turkish-American relations are at yet another critical point, as the Turkey’s decision to procure the Russian S-400 air defense system has created new tensions. The two NATO allies seek to find some creative solutions to the problems through dialogue but there is no clarity about how to find a resolution. In northern Syria, talks about creating a safe zone are inching forward rather slowly. At the same time, high-level conversations between President Trump and President Erdoğan are considered positive and there is willingness to work together including in bilateral trade. Can the two countries find a new momentum to improve bilateral relations with common interests? How will current developments including Turkey’s domestic political situation following the local elections shape Turkish-American relations in 2019 and beyond?

The SETA Foundation at Washington D.C. held a private roundtable discussionon “Turkish-American Relations” on May 21, 2019 with Yavuz Selim Kıran, Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkey, Çağrı Erhan, Member of Presidential Security and Foreign Affairs Council and Rector of Altınbaş University, and Bora Bayraktar, General Manager of CNN Türk. The conversation was moderated by Kılıç Buğra Kanat, Research Director, the SETA Foundation at Washington D.C.