Insight Turkey / Commentaries

Syria after Assad: Between American Conditionality and Russian Recalibration

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:49:00 GMT

The collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024 forced a fundamental recalibration of Syria’s external relationships, particularly with the U.S. and Russia. This article argues that post-Assad Syria is not experiencing straightforward normalization but a structured renegotiation of influence. Washington has shifted from comprehensive sanctions and military containment toward conditional engagement, redesigning sanctions as bargaining infrastructure to incentivize counter-ISIS cooperation and enable gradual troop drawdowns, while exposing new vulnerabilities, especially in detainee management and northeast governance. Moscow, in contrast, has moved from regime patronage to managed relevance, seeking to preserve strategic basing rights and limited economic leverage under tighter regional and geopolitical constraints. The resulting order is neither alliances nor ruptures, but a probationary equilibrium shaped by security imperatives, reconstruction politics, and competing forms of external leverage. Syria’s trajectory now depends less on summit diplomacy than on whether transitional institutions can stabilize authority without reproducing coercive fragmentation.

Shattered Status Quo: Iranian Resilience and the Limits of U.S. Strategy

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:46:00 GMT

The nearly 50-year-long tension between the United States and Iran has culminated in a broad, high-intensity conflict. The visible dynamics that have escalated this tension into a kinetic confrontation include Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, as well as its ties to proxy groups. Nonetheless, many analysts argue that the war has been triggered and propelled by Israel’s manipulation and provocation. Iran’s resilient response calls into question the strategic calculations of one of the largest and most lethal military mobilizations. This study examines the actions of the warring parties, their tactical and strategic calculations, and their intended objectives, while also assessing the likely outcome of the conflict. The analysis contends that, despite achieving certain short-term tactical gains, the U.S.-Israeli side has failed to establish a coherent strategic plan or attain its political objectives. Observations indicate that miscalculations by the U.S. and Israel have propagated costs across the entire region. Finally, the study emphasizes that the regional balance and dynamics will not remain unchanged after this war, especially considering the profound transformative potential accompanying the transition of Iran’s supreme leader.

Syria in the Making: One Year of Struggle for Recognition and Territorial Unity

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:44:00 GMT

Approximately one year after the fall of the Assad regime, Syria has made concrete progress in securing international recognition and stabilizing the country. This commentary examines the two key dynamics shaping Syria’s transition: diplomatic recognition and territorial unification. It concludes that the main domestic and foreign policy challenges facing the country in the next phase are as follows. First, it analyzes Syria’s prioritization of regional relations, how regional alignment created momentum for broader international engagement, and why foreign relations were key to addressing domestic security challenges. Second, it explores Syria’s pathway toward territorial unification, including major setbacks in the coastal areas and in Sweida, as well as the collapse of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which marked a strategic turning point in the transition and potentially enabled Damascus to redirect its national policy priorities. Finally, the article highlights the next domestic and foreign policy challenges facing Syria’s transition, with particular focus on implementing the integration agreement with the SDF/YPG and addressing social expectations regarding key political and economic imperatives.

The Geopolitics of Connectivity and the Development Road Project

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:41:00 GMT

This article explores the growing significance of connectivity in contemporary geopolitics, using the Development Road Project led by Türkiye and Iraq as a central case study. It argues that large-scale infrastructure initiatives are no longer confined to economic development agendas but have become key instruments of geopolitical competition and strategic influence. In this context, connectivity is conceptualized as a multidimensional framework through which states shape power by controlling trade routes, energy corridors, and logistical networks. The Development Road Project, designed to link the Basra Gulf to Europe via Iraq and Türkiye, exemplifies this emerging paradigm. Beyond establishing a new transportation corridor, the project has the potential to restructure regional trade flows, enhance the Middle East’s integration into global supply chains, and create alternative routes to existing maritime pathways. It may also contribute to Iraq’s economic diversification and reinforce Türkiye’s ambition to become a major logistics hub. However, the initiative unfolds within a complex environment marked by corridor competition and persistent security risks. Therefore, its success will depend not only on technical implementation but also on sustained political coordination and regional stability.

Unfolding Hegemony: Why Saudi Arabia Is Israel’s Next Target Post-2026 Iran War

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:40:00 GMT

Following the 2023 Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, Israel has pursued an expansive, revisionist strategy to establish undisputed regional hegemony. This strategy involved the occupation of additional territories in Lebanon and Syria in 2024, followed by a sustained conflict with these nations. It also included a 12-day war with Iran in 2025 that weakened Tehran’s military capabilities, the annexation of the West Bank in 2026, and the initiation of a second war against Iran aimed at shifting the regional balance of power in Israel’s favor amid the rising alignment of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt, and Pakistan. While prevailing Israeli security discourse identifies Türkiye as the next primary threat, this article argues that Israel’s post-Iran strategic focus will actually center on Saudi Arabia. Rather than military confrontation, Israel will likely pressure Riyadh to join the Abraham Accords via several means. The article explains the Israeli rationale and concludes that securing Saudi normalization remains Israel’s ultimate strategic prize, a necessary step to marginalize Palestinian national aspirations, isolate Türkiye, and legitimize its hegemonic project.

Warfare for a Dying World Order: What the U.S.-Israel-Iran War Means

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:38:00 GMT

Contemporary warfare increasingly reflects an international environment in which military force is deployed unilaterally and beyond established legal frameworks. In this context, war emerges as a central instrument for managing contested sovereignties and “surplus populations” through two distinct but overlapping modalities: annihilatory warfare, aimed at erasing the conditions for human presence, and asymmetrical confrontation, in which overwhelming force encounters adaptive strategies of resistance. Iran constitutes a critical case within this evolving landscape. Decades of sanctions, isolation, and geopolitical pressure have contributed to the development of asymmetrical and unconventional warfare capabilities that complicate, though do not eliminate, structural power imbalances. These dynamics resonate with earlier post-Cold War patterns of unilateralism and the instrumentalization of international law, yet also point to an important transformation: the declining need for legal or moral justification by dominant powers. Taken together, these developments suggest the emergence of a post-unipolar condition, in which the coherence of post-Cold War unipolarity has eroded without being replaced by a stable alternative order. Within this framework, the “Iran war” may be understood as an early manifestation of this phase, marked by fragmented authority, weakened normative constraints, and increasingly unrestrained uses of force.

The Gaza Genocide: From Bombardment, Displacement, and Starvation to a New U.S.-Israeli Occupation

Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:38:00 GMT

This article discusses the genocide in Gaza since 2023, now widely recognized by scholars, as a distinctive case in which Israel has used military force and other means to cripple Palestinian society in the territory, and has largely succeeded in this goal. The article discusses how Israel has displaced the population from its homes but has been blocked from converting internal displacement into external expulsion. It discusses how Israel’s intensified bombing and starvation policies after the return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency in 2025 led to a growing alienation of international public opinion and Trump’s pivot to his “peace plan.” Analyzing how Trump’s centrality exposes the international Western character of the genocide, the article discusses the emerging new, supposedly internationalized U.S.-Israeli occupation of Gaza and how the Gaza genocide has catalyzed a new age of genocide, with a genocidal mentality also evident in the new wars launched by the U.S. and Israel, and far-right mass deportation schemes.

Contribution of an NGO to the Terror-Free Türkiye Initiative: IHH’s Perspective

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 17:08:00 GMT

In Türkiye, İHH has been particularly engaged with the Kurdish issue, a long-standing political, social, and security challenge, addressing its structural, economic, cultural, and political dimensions through humanitarian aid, research, advocacy, dialogue initiatives, and civil society mobilization, especially in the eastern and southeastern provinces. This commentary examines İHH’s long-term contributions to the Kurdish issue, and shifting Middle Eastern geopolitics, including recent developments in Syria and the “National Solidarity, Brotherhood, and Democracy Process,” arguing that sustainable peace depends not only on political will but also on strong, justice-oriented civil society engagement, with organizations like İHH serving as key bridges between the state, society, and affected communities.

Terror-Free Türkiye: More than Eliminating Weapons from the Story

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:25:00 GMT

The new political process in Türkiye, initiated by Devlet Bahçeli, the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), and the aim for a terror-free Türkiye through the dissolution of the PKK, can be considered a result of both internal and external dynamics. Among the internal dynamics, the process has reached its current state through political steps toward a peaceful resolution of the Kurdish issue, albeit with occasional interruptions. Social memory regarding the problem and lessons learned from previous peace processes are also key dynamics of this path. Among the external dynamics, the events that unfolded, particularly the Gaza genocide, demonstrating that no people in the region are safe, have strengthened the will to resolve internal problems. The effort to eliminate the problems or pretexts that make the region and the country vulnerable to external interventions also accelerates these processes. If this process can be maintained steadily despite potential setbacks, it will not only eliminate terrorism and violence from daily life but also offer the possibility of a more just and peaceful socio-political order.

A Türkiye-Specific Model for Ending Terrorism: “Terror-Free Türkiye”

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 14:18:00 GMT

This commentary explains the basis on which the Turkish authorities launched a new political initiative, called Terror-Free Türkiye, which aims to end terrorism, and analyzes how its roadmap was created based on the experiences accumulated during previous resolution processes. It also examines how this process, which could be described as the Turkish model, has been carried out, unlike resolution processes worldwide. Accordingly, the origins and critical thresholds of the process, along with the role of the parliamentary commission, are included in this analysis to demonstrate that it amounts to an original approach referred to as the Turkish model. Last but not least, this article briefly discusses whether the goal of a terror-free Türkiye and a terror-free region is achievable.

Path to Peace: “Principled Negotiation” for Azerbaijan and Armenia

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 14:09:00 GMT

This commentary examines the application of basic provisions of the principled negotiation method in the ongoing Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks. Developed in the early 1980s by academics at the Harvard Negotiation Project, a distinctive feature of the principled method is the approach toward negotiations as a mutual search for a solution beneficial to all involved parties. Cooperation between the parties is vital to the process. Likewise, considering each other’s interests is also an indispensable part of the negotiations. The analysis argues that the principled negotiation method could bring security and long-lasting peace to the South Caucasus.

Algeria’s Diplomatic Mobility toward New Regional and International Prestige

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 13:59:00 GMT

Algeria’s tumultuous geopolitical environment has often pushed its leaders to reshape the country’s foreign policy and military doctrine objectives. Following the fall of the late President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April 2019, Algeria entered a new phase of political transformation. The country’s growing diplomatic activity, aimed at achieving renewed regional and international prestige, reflects a strengthening of its new foreign policy paradigm, one characterized by active and preemptive diplomacy. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s administration seeks development and economic prosperity as a foundation for greater credibility in foreign policy. This ambition is closely linked to the domestic political reforms launched after his election in December 2019. There is no doubt that Algeria’s foreign policy behavior serves as a strategic tool for leadership, as its policymakers pursue a more assertive external posture that embodies the dynamics of peace and stability. This approach contributes to Algeria’s emerging doctrine of multilateral, platform-based diplomacy.

The UAE in Northeast Africa: Navigating the Ups and Downs of a ‘By Any Means Necessary’ Policy

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 13:48:00 GMT

Evidence shows that the UAE’s interest in Africa gained significant momentum in the post-2010 period. Principally anchored around economic and geopolitical aspirations, the UAE’s investment in the continent exceeds $60 billion. While the UAE significantly invested in various sectors, it also paid close attention to the geopolitical and strategic relevance of Africa. It has built ports and military outposts and engaged in security and defense cooperation and investments across the continent. In hindsight, we can reasonably extrapolate that the UAE’s geopolitical and strategic interests in Africa are mainly focused on three but not mutually exclusive goals: to stand out as a formidable power player in Africa and elsewhere, to fight the Muslim Brotherhood and other security threats, including al-Shabaab and the Houthis, and to protect its economic and strategic pursuits in Africa. However, drawing from various reports, research articles, news outlets, and other web-based sources, this analysis argues that behind this attractive smokescreen lurks a monarchy bent on achieving its aspirations anywhere and at any cost, and thus, by any means necessary in Africa.

The Hollow Promise of Recognition in the Shadow of the Genocide in Gaza

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 13:34:00 GMT

The recent wave of recognition of the Palestinian state comes at a moment when an unprecedented combination of Zionist settler-colonial eliminatory practices, including ethnic cleansing, urbicide, territorial appropriation, and genocide, threatens the very existence of the Palestinian people. This piece argues that such recognition is hollow, as it entails virtually no concrete measures to safeguard the people and territory, the two essential pillars of any statehood, of the purported Palestinian state. The terms of recognition bring the Palestinian people no closer to genuine freedom, self-determination, or sovereignty. Rather than compelling Israel to end the ongoing genocide, territorial appropriation, and systematic dispossession of the Palestinian people, this framework effectively rewards it through regional normalization while simultaneously undermining Palestinians’ moral and legal right to resist settler-colonialism and pursue their freedom. In practice, such recognition functions as a diplomatic gesture that provides political cover, diverting attention from the urgent need to terminate the Zionist settler-colonial project and its ongoing crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide.

Reflection on ADF2025: AI as Silent Superpower and Influencer for Africa

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 14:03:00 GMT

The Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF) 2025 convened during a time of global uncertainty, marked by conflicts, trade rivalries, and escalating AI-driven competition. Against this backdrop, Africa and Türkiye’s roles in diplomacy gained prominence, emphasizing equitable North-South and South-South partnerships. A key panel addressed Artificial Intelligence as a ‘silent superpower,’ exploring both its promise and its peril in shaping the global order. While AI holds the potential for solving complex challenges through investment in education, research, and collaboration, it also risks deepening global inequalities and undermining human agency. Particular attention was paid to Africa’s AI trajectory, from data governance to talent development and regulatory hurdles. The panel stressed the urgency of ethical frameworks, human-centered design, and international cooperation to ensure AI enhances global equity. ADF2025 catalyzed critical conversations on diplomacy and digital power, reaffirming Türkiye’s convening role in a fragmented international system. As a speaker on the panel, I will summarize my remarks in this commentary.

Geopolitical Implications of Israel’s June 13 Attacks against Iran: Changing Regional Power Balances

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 14:03:00 GMT

This commentary analyses Israel’s simultaneous air, cyber, and covert strike against Iran on June 13, 2025, from a regional security perspective. It explores the operation’s impact on Iran’s military doctrine and nuclear program, the coercive diplomacy dimension of U.S.–Israeli strategic coordination, and the repercussions for Tehran’s deterrence capability. The findings show that integrating superior technology with advanced intelligence assets has recalibrated the conflict’s dynamics, exposing vulnerabilities in Iran’s decision-making and response mechanisms even as its capacity for retaliation endures. The study also assesses the long-term implications of Türkiye’s mediation initiatives and the region’s heightened defense measures for Middle Eastern power balances. It concludes that the June 13 operation underscores the potential of cutting-edge military technologies to reshape the regional security architecture.

President Xi Jinping’s Perception of the Main Entities in Technological Innovation and China’s Technological Innovation System

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 13:48:00 GMT

China has developed a distinct technological innovation system through its innovation-driven development strategy, positioning enterprises as key drivers. Different enterprise types contribute uniquely, while national laboratories lead in frontier research. The country is restructuring State Key Laboratories and strengthening discipline-based ones. Research institutes and universities form the core of scientific advancement and talent cultivation, with mission-driven institutions addressing major national challenges. Key regions like Beijing, Shanghai, and the Greater Bay Area are being developed into global innovation hubs with broad influence. This commentary will analyze these components in detail.

The Global Data Supply-Chain for Artificial Intelligence and Its Paradoxes

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 13:40:00 GMT

Data are a crucial aspect of deep learning models and the groundwork for contemporary artificial intelligence. While it is common to point out biases within datasets, far less attention has been given to the global relations that make data and the limits of representing complex scenarios associated with conflict. This paper makes three interventions: (1) it describes how the idea of a global supply chain applies not only to the semiconductors needed for large-scale AI workloads but also to data; (2) it points out that a global data supply chain cannot be analogized to natural resources because data are representations; and (3) it considers the limitations of large-language models to address complexity and uncertainty through a ChatGPT analysis of the current conflicts in the Sahel. Without deeper consideration of the limits of data collection and uncertainties that will persist in conflict, military AI will not function as expected. Worldwide, we need deeper debate about the purpose of military AI, as the technology alone cannot be an end unto itself.

AI Technologies in Intercultural Communication: Opportunities or Consequences?

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 13:34:00 GMT

This paper examines the application of technologies in the context of intercultural communication to determine the opportunities and consequences associated with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The use of technology of different forms can be remarkable tools that offer effective channels to help bridge cultural barriers, promote knowledge of shared interests and navigate challenges associated with accessing people at different locations. With a focus on AI, this paper evaluates the impacts of AI technologies on human communication. It further examines the social consequences of AI attributes, the opportunities resulting from AI usage in transforming the world into a digital age. The extent to which AI technologies may result in difficulties were identified using examples from different regions. As a result, rational deduction from this paper is to adopt AI technologies in the context of intercultural communication with caution, understanding its dual effects on communication outcomes in a diverse, yet digital world.

Digital Geopolitics and U.S.-China Competition

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 13:29:00 GMT

The wide range of digital technologies, coupled with their strategic indispensability, not only reshapes traditional international relations; it systematically institutionalizes digital geopolitics as an emergent field in which technological capabilities become the new currency of state power. The profound convergence of digital technologies, including information and communication technologies (ICTs), big data, and artificial intelligence (AI), with human society and daily life, consequently, further amplifies the influence of digital geopolitics on great power competition. The leading status of the technological landscape between the U.S. and China is set to solidify further, both in terms of material strength and the international community's recognition. Simultaneously, the profound impact of U.S.-China tech competition on the power architecture of the digital space demands scrutiny: What strategic assets and competitive advantages are these nations vying for within this contested domain? Will these two powers indeed converge toward a tech Cold War? The resolutions to this complex array of questions will prove instrumental in determining the trajectory of the future international order, with a focus on how U.S.-China competition over digital technologies redefines global strategic balance.

Key Advances in the Research, Development, and Innovation Ecosystem of Türkiye

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 13:17:00 GMT

This commentary outlines Türkiye’s significant progress in advancing its research, development, and innovation (RDI) ecosystem, led by TÜBİTAK in alignment with the National Technology Move and the Twelfth Development Plan. Key strategic objectives include fostering high-technology production, enabling digital and green transitions, and boosting global competitiveness. TÜBİTAK plays a central role in supporting artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and aerospace advancements through national infrastructure, human capital development, and international cooperation. Highlights include the development of Türkiye’s national supercomputer, a Turkish Large Language Model, and breakthroughs in quantum sensing and post-quantum cryptography. TÜBİTAK also mobilizes young talent through TEKNOFEST and Deneyap Ateliers while strengthening bilateral scientific ties. The establishment of the National Quantum Institute and the successful launch of the indigenous satellite TÜRKSAT 6A are key milestones. This integrated and impact-driven ecosystem positions Türkiye as a global actor, shaping the future of critical technologies in line with its vision for 2053.

Türkiye’s National Technology Move amid Global Shifts

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 13:01:00 GMT

This commentary examines Türkiye’s National Technology Move as a timely and determined response to major shifts in the global industrial and geopolitical landscape. Far beyond a conventional policy plan, it signals a decisive commitment to advancing technological capability and achieving innovation leadership on the global stage. By highlighting tangible progress in key areas—such as indigenous defense systems, electric mobility, satellite programs, artificial intelligence, and the twin digital-green transformation—it shows how strategic coherence across policy, industry, and talent can build sustainable technological capacity. Finally, it argues that Türkiye’s commitment to technological sovereignty and inclusive innovation will shape its role as a trusted producer, global partner, and inspiring example for other emerging economies navigating the complex dynamics of the 21st century’s technology-driven global order.

From Dictatorship to Transition: Syria’s Future in a Changing Middle East

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 16:51:00 GMT

On December 8, 2024 the nearly 60-year-long Baathist dictatorship in Syria, led by the Assad regime, came to an end following a 12-day military operation. As the country undergoes a transformative period where the state system is being rebuilt from the ground up, the post-revolution era has drawn significant attention from regional and international actors. At the forefront of this transition, revolutionary leader and head of the transitional government, Ahmed al-Sharaa, faces numerous economic, security, and socio-political challenges. This commentary aims to provide a perspective on Syria's future by exploring both the optimistic and pessimistic scenarios. Additionally, it examines the country's regional and global significance, focusing on the obstacles ahead, including sanctions. Furthermore, it analyzes Türkiye's role as a key stakeholder in the Syrian crisis, evaluating its national security concerns, economic interests, and political influence from a socio-political standpoint.

BRICS and the Challenges of the International System Ahead

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 16:38:00 GMT

The evolving international system is undergoing significant structural transformations, marked by shifting economic power, geopolitical realignments, and challenges to traditional governance mechanisms. As a response to these dynamics, BRICS has emerged as a strategic partnership advocating for a multipolar world order that reflects the interests of the Global South and East. This study examines BRICS' expansion, institutional development, and initiatives in areas such as trade, finance, technological innovation, and climate action. Through its flexible and consensus-driven approach, BRICS has positioned itself as a non-Western framework fostering economic cooperation and sustainable development. The analysis underscores BRICS' role in reshaping international governance structures as well as tackling the increasing fragmentation of global trade, geopolitical instability, and the digital divide.

The Last Economic Stronghold of the Atlantic Alliance: OECD

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 16:24:00 GMT

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has played a critical role in shaping global economic norms, policies, and regulatory frameworks since its establishment in 1961. The OECD has evolved into a multilateral institution that seeks to promote economic cooperation, trade liberalization, and sustainable development. Over the decades, its membership has expanded to include key economies beyond its original Western-centric base, reflecting its strategic adaptation to shifting geopolitical and economic realities. Türkiye, as a founding member, has actively contributed to the OECD’s agenda, particularly in addressing the Global North-South divide and fostering inclusive international dialogue. This commentary examines the OECD’s role in global governance, analyzing its institutional strengths, limitations, and the strategic engagement of significant countries like Türkiye. The study explores how the OECD navigates contemporary challenges such as digital transformation and artificial intelligence regulation while assessing Türkiye’s positioning within these multilateral policy frameworks.

Türkiye and the OIC: Navigating Challenges and Strengthening Alliances

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 16:11:00 GMT

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) represents the collective voice of the Muslim world, uniting 57 member states across four continents to address political, economic, and security challenges. As the second-largest intergovernmental organization after the United Nations, the OIC has sought to promote solidarity, economic development, and conflict resolution among its members. However, institutional constraints, geopolitical divisions, and external pressures have often hindered its effectiveness in global governance. This analysis critically examines the OIC’s role in international politics, highlighting both its achievements and limitations. The study also explores Türkiye’s contributions to the OIC, assessing its leadership role and diplomatic strategies within the organization. By analyzing the OIC’s engagement with global governance frameworks, the paper argues that while the organization remains a crucial platform for Muslim-majority states, its long-term impact will depend on structural reforms, strengthened economic diplomacy, and enhanced cooperation among member states.

The Future of Türkiye-NATO Relations in Light of the Strained Transatlantic Dialogue

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 15:39:00 GMT

This commentary aims to assess the impact of the changing approach of the U.S. under Trump's second administration on transatlantic relations, the future of NATO, its engagement in the war in Ukraine, and the prospects for further expansion toward the east. The paper also aims to shed light on how these developments may affect the future of Türkiye-NATO relations. While Türkiye remains a critical NATO member due to its strategic geography and military capabilities, domestic skepticism towards the Alliance has grown in response to unresolved disputes and perceived double standards. The commentary ultimately underscores that Türkiye’s future in NATO will depend on the Alliance’s ability to reconcile internal divisions, recalibrate its strategic vision, and balance Türkiye’s security concerns with broader transatlantic priorities.

The UN System and Türkiye on Its 80th Anniversary: Quest for Peace through Multilateralism

Thu, 10 Apr 2025 14:39:00 GMT

Since 1945, the United Nations (UN) has played a central role in shaping the global order through its laws, norms, and institutions. As a founding member, Türkiye has consistently engaged with the UN, balancing its commitment to multilateralism with evolving national interests. This study examines Türkiye’s role within the UN system, exploring its historical trajectory, pursuit of legitimacy, and status as an emerging power. While Türkiye remains committed to the UN’s ideals, it also advocates for institutional reforms, as reflected in President Erdoğan’s call that “The World Is Bigger than Five.” Türkiye’s engagement spans the “Three UNs” framework, contributing to the organization’s normative, bureaucratic, and operational dimensions. Despite the challenges, Türkiye continues to see the UN as a crucial platform for multilateral diplomacy and global governance.

War as the True Adversary and Türkiye’s Pivotal Role in Forging Peace

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 20:27:00 GMT

The central thesis of this article depends on deterrence theory and posits that nuclear war, rather than any specific nation or faction, constitutes the true adversary in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and that averting nuclear escalation must be prioritized above all else. After establishing the rationale for this position, the commentary offers a critical analysis of both Western and Russian policies, highlighting their role in intensifying the conflict without sufficiently accounting for the risks of nuclear confrontation. As an alternative peaceful path, the article examines the Turkish approach as a concise applied case study, emphasizing its balanced diplomatic and military engagement with both Ukraine and Russia. Through its promotion of dialogue and facilitation of peace negotiations, Türkiye exemplifies a strategic approach to conflict resolution that aims not only to prevent further escalation —especially the threat of nuclear conflict— but also to pave the way toward sustainable peace.

The Second Trump Administration and Its Implications to the Global Order

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 20:13:00 GMT

The prospect of a second Trump term has reignited global apprehensions, sparking renewed debates about the future trajectory of U.S. foreign policy and its broader implications for international relations. Would his administration once again pursue the "America First" approach, marked by isolationist tendencies, weakened multilateral frameworks, strained alliances, and often unpredictable policymaking style? Or might it chart a new path, potentially adapting to shifting global realities and responding to mounting challenges with a more measured and conciliatory strategy? This commentary seeks to delve into the heart of these debates by examining three key pillars: Trump’s prior foreign policy decisions and their long-term impacts, his current campaign promises and rhetoric, and the evolving geopolitical challenges that await the U.S. on the world stage. Would a second term amplify the unpredictability of his first, further eroding trust in the U.S. as a global leader, or might it reflect lessons learned, offering a recalibrated strategy aimed at balancing national interests with global responsibilities.