Atlantic Council Turkey Program

Within the Atlantic Council’s longstanding commitment to strengthening the transatlantic relationship, the Atlantic Council Turkey Program conducts research, provides thought leadership, and offers a platform for strategic dialogue between the US, Turkey, and NATO allies to address the region’s toughest challenges and explore opportunities, including in the fields of energy, business & trade, technology, defense, and security.

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About the program

Featured event

Public Event Thu, March 5, 2026 • 9:30 am ET

Navigating a new era in Syria: Strategic opportunities for the US and Turkey

A discussion on pathways toward regional stability, cooperation, and economic opportunities in Syria for the US, Turkey and the region.
Conflict Defense Policy Iraq Middle East

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Get exclusive Atlantic Council Turkey Program updates, events, and publications.

Defense Journal

The Defense Journal by Atlantic Council Turkey Program provides independent expert analysis regarding the full spectrum of defense issues involving primarily the United States and Turkey as well as the region, covering strategic, geopolitical, political-military, operational-technical, and defense technological and industrial affairs.

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Atlantic Council Turkey Program

Report Mar 11, 2026

Navigating change: US-Turkish defense relations in 2026

By Atlantic Council Turkey Program

The sixth issue of the Defense Journal by Atlantic Council Turkey Program, takes up several of the regional, military-technical, and policy issues in US-Turkish relations.
Conflict Europe & Eurasia
Atlantic Council Turkey Program

Report Jun 2, 2025

Transatlantic relations and a region in flux

By Atlantic Council Turkey Program

The fifth issue of the Defense Journal by Atlantic Council IN TURKEY assesses key dynamics as we enter a new era.
Central Asia Conflict

TURKEYSource

TURKEYSource provides analysis and insight on Turkey and related developments with coverage from Turkish, regional, and international experts. This blog offers timely news and commentary on key issues related to transatlantic relations, energy, business, security, and key players.

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Atlantic Council Turkey Program

TURKEYSource Dec 19, 2025

How NATO and its partners should respond to Russia’s militarization of the wider Black Sea region

As Russia continues to destabilize and militarize the Black Sea region, helping bolster regional security will require a concerted focus.

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Atlantic Council Turkey Program

TURKEYSource Dec 2, 2025

Any peace deal that empowers Russia is a direct security threat to Turkey

By Yevgeniya Gaber

As US talks with Russia and Ukraine intensify, Turkey must reassert regional leadership and help secure a sustainable peace in Ukraine and in the Black Sea.
Conflict Europe & Eurasia
Atlantic Council Turkey Program

TURKEYSource Nov 18, 2025

Two revealing Washington visits will set the course for Syria’s future

By Rich Outzen

Syria is a key foreign policy priority for Trump, with Ahmed al-Sharaa and Turkey now playing an inevitable role in how the US approaches the country.
Conflict Politics & Diplomacy

Recent events

Public Event Thu, March 5, 2026 • 9:30 am ET

Navigating a new era in Syria: Strategic opportunities for the US and Turkey

A discussion on pathways toward regional stability, cooperation, and economic opportunities in Syria for the US, Turkey and the region.
Conflict Defense Policy Iraq Middle East
Public Event Tue, February 17, 2026 • 10:00 am ET

Turkey’s evolving role in a new global geopolitical and security order

The Atlantic Council’s Turkey Program hosts a discussion on how Turkey’s foreign policy and transatlantic engagement are evolving in a changing regional and global order.
Conflict Europe & Eurasia Iran Iraq
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In-depth research & reports

From energy relations to issues related to Syrian refugees in Turkey, the Atlantic Council Turkey Program’s in-depth research serves to enlighten transatlantic policymakers and business leaders on issues about Turkey.

Issue Brief

Mar 3, 2026

Turkey’s gas diversification strategy and rising share of LNG

By Eser Özdil

An analysis of Turkey's LNG diversification strategy from 2016 to 2025 and the geopolitical implications of Turkey’s emergence as a gas exporter to Europe.

Energy Markets & Governance Geopolitics & Energy Security

Issue Brief

Nov 19, 2025

Why Ankara’s rising power in the Sahel could benefit the West

By Alp Ozen, Haley Nelson

Turkey offers a rare channel in the Sahel that the West could use to recalibrate its approach to the region.

Africa Energy & Environment
all in-depth research

Featured documentary

Do Seagulls Migrate?
An Atlantic Council documentary

As the Syrian civil war marks a decade of destruction and displacement, millions of refugees are forced to endure harrowing journeys and create new lives from scratch. Do Seagulls Migrate?, the Atlantic Council’s first ever documentary, chronicles the lives of four Syrian women who fled their war-torn homes to seek survival, prosperity, and a new life in Turkey. Do Seagulls Migrate? reveals the refugee experience first-hand as Reem, Khloud, Inam, and Reem M. share their emotional journeys, forge new experiences, care for their families, and build new careers.

Do Seagulls Migrate? has been selected for screening at four film festivals: Prague International Film Festival 2021, 10th Antakya International Film Festival, Germany International Film Festival 2023, Nice International Film Festival 2023, and the 7th Golden Tree International Documentary Film Festival.

Learn more

Related content

Mon, November 8, 2021 • 5:30 pm ET

Premiere of Do Seagulls Migrate?

Read about the official premiere of Do Seagulls Migrate?, hosted at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

Watch now

Experts

Fellow

Mark Mowrey

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Atlantic Council Turkey Program

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Staff

Kiran Baez

Program Assistant

Atlantic Council Turkey Program

Central Asia Geopolitics & Energy Security

Expert

Defne Arslan

Senior Director

Atlantic Council Turkey Program

Economy & Business Energy & Environment

Fellow

Matthew Bryza

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Atlantic Council Turkey Program

Energy & Environment Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Pınar Dost

Nonresident Fellow

Atlantic Council Turkey Program

English French

Fellow

Arnold C. Dupuy

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Atlantic Council Turkey Program

Turkey Energy & Environment
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Content

TURKEYSource

Oct 5, 2020

Turkish Black Sea discovery: Is it geopolitics or economics?

By Anita Orban

While some expect that a Turkish drilling ship's discovery of the country's largest natural gas reserve to date will give Turkey a more advantageous bargaining position, the country has already had this leverage thanks to its wide variety of pipeline sources and access to the liquefied natural gas market.

Energy & Environment Energy Markets & Governance

TURKEYSource

Sep 23, 2020

Now let’s see an agreement in the Eastern Mediterranean

By Brenda Shaffer

The Trump administration has demonstrated its ability to bring allies together and promote regional peace and cooperation. The United States should keep up this momentum by helping to reach an agreement between Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus, and de-escalate the conflict in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

Conflict Europe & Eurasia

TURKEYSource

Sep 23, 2020

Solving the Eastern Mediterranean crisis requires compromise

By Matthew Bryza

France, Greece, and the entire EU should embrace this de-escalatory approach, recognizing that the entire transatlantic community will be strategically better off with a strong Greece-Turkey relationship that ensures a fair system for sharing Eastern Mediterranean energy resources.

Geopolitics & Energy Security Greece

TURKEYSource

Sep 17, 2020

Eastern Mediterranean tensions require diplomacy, not conflict

By Mitat Çelikpala

Despite the continued challenges and dangerous rhetoric, the only viable path remains through dialogue and compromise. For Turkey, this means openness to dialogue to address the issues at hand and expanding its diplomatic front to build support for its interests.

Conflict Crisis Management

Turkey News Roundup

Sep 11, 2020

Turkey weekly news roundup – September 11, 2020

By Atlantic Council in Turkey

Below is a selection of articles on Turkey we have been following, covering the most important issues over the past week. East Med Tensions Turkey-Iran Cooperation Economic Prospects

Turkey

TURKEYSource

Jul 28, 2020

The EU must begin to show Turkey some respect

By Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı

Turkey, the EU, and the United States have more in common than we do not in common, and the stakes are higher than anyone in these crazy times seems to understand. It is now high time that the EU and its member states treated Turkey as an accession-negotiating candidate and a strategic partner rather than as a rival.

European Union Turkey
refugee resilience

New Atlanticist

Jul 21, 2020

Turkey offers blueprint for future migrant crises

By Larry Luxner

Turkey hopes the relatively successful integration of some four million Syrian war refugees into its economy will inspire other countries straining under a sudden, massive influx of migrants.

Conflict Migration
refugee resilience

Report

Jul 13, 2020

Turkey’s Refugee Resilience: Expanding and Improving Solutions for the Economic Inclusion of Syrians in Turkey

By Bastien Revel

Since 2014, Turkey has not only hosted the world’s largest refugee population but has also modeled a best practice for the global refugee policy discussion. Turkey’s experience on the key issues such as jobs and employment should be examined as lessons for both refugee hosting countries and donor countries alike.

Conflict Crisis Management

TURKEYSource

Jul 8, 2020

Libya’s future depends on constructive, not destructive, international involvement

By Mehmet Öğütçü

Turkey’s strong support for Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj's UN-recognized administration, however, may have at least spared the country from falling into the wrong sphere of influence. But getting to a lasting peace in Libya will require the constructive involvement of all the actors who have a stake in Libya’s future.

Conflict Libya

Turkey News Roundup

Jul 8, 2020

Turkey weekly news roundup – July 8, 2020

By Atlantic Council in Turkey

Below is a selection of articles on Turkey we have been following, covering the most important issues over the past week. Trilateral meeting on Syria EU-Turkey Relations US-Turkey defense ties: F-35

Turkey
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Events

Online Event Tue, April 7, 2026 • 10:00 am ET

US-Turkish defense relations and the upcoming NATO Summit
Defense Industry Defense Policy Europe & Eurasia Geopolitics & Energy Security