Events

–

September 16, 2020 11:00am – 12:00pm Zoom Webinar Read Event Summary Here Long simmering tensions between powers in the Eastern Mediterranean have recently escalated to crisis levels. Competition between Turkey, Cyprus and Greece over gas discoveries, long-standing maritime border disputes, […]

–

The Conflict in the Caucasus: Geopolitical Implications November 9, 2020 11:00am – 12:00pm Zoom Webinar Read Event Summary Here   In late September 2020, the twenty-six-year-old frozen conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh heated back up. Beyond the battlefield, the conflict has been […]

–

Tomorrow, the World: The Birth of U.S. Global Supremacy December 3, 2020 11:00am – 12:00pm  Zoom Webinar Read Event Summary Here For most of its history, the United States avoided making political and military commitments that would entangle it in […]

As the new Biden administration enters Washington, the President-elect is poised to employ a different tone toward the rest of the world. The Trump administration has defined its foreign policy in “America First” terms, but Joe Biden has made it […]

–

Since the failed coup attempt on July 15th, 2016, Turkey’s foreign policy has changed dramatically. Turkey intervened militarily in multiple countries such as Syria and Libya to protect its security and geopolitical interests. Having proven to be a stabilizing actor […]

–

Since the foundation of the AK Party on August 14, 2001, Turkish-American relations have gone through major regional and global challenges. The relationship has ebbed and flowed over the past two decades of AK Party governments under the leadership of […]

–

Mohammed bin Salman. A monarch-to-be without scruples? Or a visionary seeking a path to global power? A social reformer determined to bring his country into the twenty-first century? Or just another brutal dictator? A leader on the road to greatness, […]

–

During his visit to Kyiv last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated Turkey’s support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity as he repeated his offer to mediate between Russia and Ukraine to resolve the current crisis. Having inked a series of […]

–

The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered a strong and a somewhat surprisingly unified NATO response. The US policy has focused on supporting Ukraine through economic and military aid foreclosing any direct confrontation with Russia. Despite different interests and […]

–

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv during the highest-level visit by U.S. officials to Ukraine since the start of the war. The priority of the US and Western countries […]

–

NATO will adopt its new Strategic Concept at the 2022 Madrid Summit. As part of the preparations for the new document, an official report titled “NATO 2030: United for a New Era” shared the new priorities of the Alliance with […]

–

What are the dynamics pushing Türkiye to pursue a policy of engagement with both Ukraine and Russia? What are the chances of further diplomatic breakthroughs? How can the Western sanctions be reconciled with Türkiye’s approach?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a panel of distinguished experts to discuss these questions and more.

–

Türkiye-Greece Tensions: Implications for NATO and Turkish-American Relations
In recent months, tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean reached new heights amidst war of words between Greek and Turkish leadership. Türkiye has accused Greece of militarizing the Aegean islands in contravention of international agreements while the Greek leadership leveled accused Turkey of threatening Greek sovereignty. Türkiye has also expressed its discomfort with American military hardware to be deployed to the islands and the recent lifting of arms embargo to Greek Cypriots. The two NATO allies, Greece and Türkiye, have had these episodes of increased tensions in the past but this latest round might have serious implications for the unity within the alliance in the wake of the war in Ukraine. There are also concerns about traditional U.S. policy of keeping the balance between Greece and Türkiye in terms of arms sales and transfers.

–
Iran

As the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East continues to evolve, several key developments have introduced new dynamics in Turkish-Iranian bilateral ties. The shifting dynamics in Syria have placed Tehran at odds with Ankara during the crisis, but the two regional powers have managed to engage in dialogue through the Astana process, alongside Russia. As Turkish-Syrian relations have shown signs of thawing in recent months, the potential implications for Türkiye-Iran relations remain uncertain. The recent Iran-Saudi Arabia deal, brokered by China, marks a significant milestone in regional diplomacy in a new era of rapprochement between two long-term rivals. The ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran, as well as the lack of progress in the nuclear file, have potentially significant implications for Türkiye’s relations with Iran. How will the Astana process impact their bilateral ties? Can the Iran-Saudi rapprochement open new doors for stability in the Middle East? What role does Iran’s nuclear program play in shaping Türkiye’s perspective on the regional dynamics?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to convene a panel of experts to shed light on the complex regional factors influencing Turkish-Iranian bilateral ties.