Grain of truth: Why Russia rejoined the Ukraine food export deal
Turkey’s strength in the Black Sea may have persuaded Russia to return to the Ukraine grain export deal. But the agreement also lends another string to its bow
Turkey
Tools of influence: Drone proliferation in the Middle East and North Africa
States in the region increasingly design and produce their own drones. The EU should respond by investing in European drone technology and creating a shared accountability regime for the use of such systems.
Turkey, NATO, and the Ukraine war: Why Erdogan’s grievances are about more than Sweden and Finland
The Turkish president is unlikely to veto Nordic membership of NATO – but Turkey’s bigger strategic worry is of a NATO-Russia conflict arising out of the war in Ukraine
Necessary friends: Turkey’s improving relationship with the West
Russia’s war on Ukraine has allowed Turkey to begin to rebuild its relationship with the West. Brussels and Ankara both need to make sacrifices to continue this process and protect their strategic interests.
Stuck in limbo: How Europe can protect Syrian refugees
Europeans who have at heart the sustainable return of refugees, in line with Europe’s core interests and with the will of the Syrian people, should focus on ensuring that conditions on the ground in Syria allow for safe, voluntary, and dignified returns
War in Ukraine: Erdogan’s greatest challenge yet
Turkey would attempt to sit on the fence if conflict breaks out in Ukraine. But with domestic challenges rising at home, Recep Tayyip Erdogan may not be able to withstand the pressure from either Russia or NATO allies.
The great game: A geopolitical Euros
If policymakers watch closely enough, football might just provide the perspective and insights they need to advance a geopolitical Europe
New Energies: The European Green Deal and the EU-Turkey relationship
How will the European Green Deal affect the EU’s relationship with Turkey?
Turkey beyond Erdogan: How the EU risks letting down Turkish democrats
The Turkish president no longer commands all before him. The EU should turn its attention to supporting democratic forces in the country.
Prospects for EU-Turkey relations from a German point of view
The EU and Turkey have a mutual strategic interest in developing a constructive, cooperative, and sustainable relationship
Articles
Grain of truth: Why Russia rejoined the Ukraine food export deal
Turkey’s strength in the Black Sea may have persuaded Russia to return to the Ukraine grain export deal. But the agreement also lends another string to its bow
Tools of influence: Drone proliferation in the Middle East and North Africa
States in the region increasingly design and produce their own drones. The EU should respond by investing in European drone technology and creating a shared accountability regime for the use of such systems.
Turkey, NATO, and the Ukraine war: Why Erdogan’s grievances are about more than Sweden and Finland
The Turkish president is unlikely to veto Nordic membership of NATO – but Turkey’s bigger strategic worry is of a NATO-Russia conflict arising out of the war in Ukraine
Necessary friends: Turkey’s improving relationship with the West
Russia’s war on Ukraine has allowed Turkey to begin to rebuild its relationship with the West. Brussels and Ankara both need to make sacrifices to continue this process and protect their strategic interests.
Stuck in limbo: How Europe can protect Syrian refugees
Europeans who have at heart the sustainable return of refugees, in line with Europe’s core interests and with the will of the Syrian people, should focus on ensuring that conditions on the ground in Syria allow for safe, voluntary, and dignified returns
War in Ukraine: Erdogan’s greatest challenge yet
Turkey would attempt to sit on the fence if conflict breaks out in Ukraine. But with domestic challenges rising at home, Recep Tayyip Erdogan may not be able to withstand the pressure from either Russia or NATO allies.
The great game: A geopolitical Euros
If policymakers watch closely enough, football might just provide the perspective and insights they need to advance a geopolitical Europe
Turkey beyond Erdogan: How the EU risks letting down Turkish democrats
The Turkish president no longer commands all before him. The EU should turn its attention to supporting democratic forces in the country.
Prospects for EU-Turkey relations from a German point of view
The EU and Turkey have a mutual strategic interest in developing a constructive, cooperative, and sustainable relationship
West wishes: Turkey’s growing relationship with Ukraine
As the Turkish president continues his delicate balancing act between the US and Russia, the crisis in Ukraine presents new opportunities for Ankara’s transatlantic credentials
Podcasts
New Energies: The European Green Deal and the EU-Turkey relationship
How will the European Green Deal affect the EU’s relationship with Turkey?
ECFR Conversation with Ibrahim Kalin
ECFR Conversation with Ibrahim Kalin, Spokesman and Senior Advisor to the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Chaired by Julien Barnes-Dacey, Director of ECFR’s…
Many elephants in the room: the EU and the Turkey, Syria, coronavirus and refugee crises
The European Union faces a multi-crisis situation at the moment. As the conflict in Idlib and the circumstances at the Greek-Turkish border has erupted, Europe…
The US role in Syria
Anthony Dworkin steps in for Mark Leonard and discusses the US strategy in Syria with Asli Aydintasbas, Julien Barnes-Dacey and Jasmin El-Gamal. The podcast was recorded…
The disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi
Mark Leonard speaks with Asli Aydintasbas, Jeremy Shapiro and Julien Barnes-Dacy about what effect the incident might have on relations between Saudi Arabia, the US…
The Idlib crisis – Can Turkey and Europe avert disaster?
Mark Leonard examines the looming Syrian-Russian military action in Idlib in discussion with ECFR experts Asli Aydıntaşbaş, Julien Barnes-Dacey, and Almut Möller. What do Turks…
Turkey’s financial and economic crisis: A bail-out?
Mark Leonard speaks with Oksana Antonenko, Director for Global Political risk Analysis at Control Risks, and ECFR Turkey experts Asli Aydintasbas and Almut Moeller about…
Turkey’s snap election
Mark Leonard speaks with Asli Aydıntaşbaş about why Erdoğan called early elections for this summer, and the new European Commission’s accession report. Bookshelf:…
Will Turkey’s constitutional referendum kill its EU aspirations?
ECFR’s director Mark Leonard speaks with Soli Özel, ECFR Council Member and Professor of International Relations at Kadir Has University in Istanbul and ECFR's Vessela…
Mark’s World in 30 Minutes: German-Turkish Spat: a Storm in a Tea Cup?
ECFR’s director Mark Leonard speaks with ECFR's senior fellows, Asli Aydintasbas and Almut Moeller on the German-Turkish diplomatic spat, the forthcoming polls and the bigger…
Events
29 Sep
Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean: Europe’s mediatory power & Turkish-Greek reconciliation
Virtual debate ahead of the special European Council on Europe’s mediatory power in the Eastern Mediterranean
27 Apr
After Erdogan’s win and Brexit: What are the Prospects for a UK-Turkey Partnership with the EU?
Can a more collusive Turkey-UK relationship benefit the two governments and improve their negotiating positions?
22 Sep
The West, the failed coup attempt in Turkey, and what it means for the Middle East
This discussion explored how the coup attempt and its aftermath are impacting EU-Turkey relations.
4 Dec
Lunch Talk “Libya & Migration – smuggling patterns in the Mediterranean region”
The fragile state of Libya has been a hub for migration and smuggling for a long time. Mattia Toaldo presented the results of his Policy Brief “Libya's migrant-smuggling highway”, while Angeliki Dimitriadi, ECFR Research Fellow on migration, reported from her personal experiences and field research in the region. This led to an intense discussion about legal migration.
In the media
This is a familiar tactic before elections. In this case, we have the element of energy diversification, and Bulgaria is trying to negotiate Russian gas through Turkey.
We are heading into elections, [Erdogan’s] numbers are looking very uncertain and the refugee issue seems to be one of the top concerns for Turkish voters across the political spectrum, including his
Erdogan’s diplomatic charm offensive is tactically smart — but it doesn’t change the reality that it is driven by an awareness of his dire domestic position
In an op-ed, Asli Aydıntaşbaş comments on Erdogan rapprochement with former foes
The reality is, Syria is still not safe for return