Turkey

Turkey

Turkey is a longstanding NATO ally and member of the transatlantic community, strategically occupying the alliance’s southeastern flank. As an important ally in a turbulent region, Turkey has a crucial role to play in tackling many of the world’s most pressing challenges such as the war in Syria and relations between the West and Russia. Turkey is also a valuable partner for Washington on energy cooperation, business, regional relations, and migration.

Religion as statecraft: What a decade of research reveals about the geopolitics of religious soft power

TURKEYSource Oct 6, 2026

Beyond tariffs: The US–Turkey trade relationship needs a bigger bargain

By Leo Ayala

To reach their longstanding $100 billion trade ambition, the United States and Turkey should look beyond tariffs toward a broader economic bargain.
Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia
Religion as statecraft: What a decade of research reveals about the geopolitics of religious soft power

TURKEYSource Aug 20, 2026

To stop escalation in the Black Sea, Turkey needs a new regional strategy

By Yevgeniya Gaber

As strikes continue to grow on shipping throughout the Black Sea, Turkey must reevaluate its approach to shipping and security in the region.
Europe & Eurasia Maritime Security
Religion as statecraft: What a decade of research reveals about the geopolitics of religious soft power

TURKEYSource Aug 11, 2026

Turkey wants a bigger role in NATO. Its defense industry will be key.

By Alp Ozen

With the NATO Summit in Ankara behind it, Turkey’s defense sector now faces the challenge of turning political momentum into action—from defense-industrial cooperation to diplomatic initiatives and NATO capability development.
Defense Industry Defense Technologies

Programs

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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Content

Report

Nov 3, 2026

Religion as statecraft: What a decade of research reveals about the geopolitics of religious soft power

By Peter Mandaville

The post-Cold War assumption that international politics was converging toward a secular liberal framework in which religion would play at most a marginal role has not survived contact with the evidence. From China to Turkey to Saudi Arabia and Russia, states are integrating religion into their foreign policy in strategically significant ways.

China India

MENASource

Oct 30, 2026

Libya’s maritime deal with Turkey may be the key to reunification

By Mohamed Eljarh

The deal, and the rise of Saddam Haftar, represent a new approach to Libya’s divided domestic politics and foreign relations.

Libya Maritime Security

TURKEYSource

Oct 27, 2026

Why France and Turkey are giving defense cooperation another go

By Ali Mammadov

France and Turkey still disagree on plenty, but Europe’s changing security environment is giving them stronger reasons to cooperate.

Europe & Eurasia France

MENASource

Oct 8, 2026

Israel and Turkey are not natural rivals. It’s time to stop treating them that way. 

By Alissa Pavia

The West should find ways of managing rather than entrenching both countries further into this competition.

Conflict Geopolitics & Energy Security

TURKEYSource

Oct 6, 2026

Beyond tariffs: The US–Turkey trade relationship needs a bigger bargain

By Leo Ayala

To reach their longstanding $100 billion trade ambition, the United States and Turkey should look beyond tariffs toward a broader economic bargain.

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

UkraineAlert

Sep 15, 2026

With Putin overextended in Ukraine, Armenia is turning away from Russia

By Joseph Epstein

Every day Ukraine keeps fighting, Russian influence grows weaker in the countries of the ex-USSR that Moscow refers to as the “near abroad.” Nowhere is this Russian retreat clearer than in Armenia, writes Joseph Epstein.

Conflict Democratic Transitions

TURKEYSource

Aug 20, 2026

To stop escalation in the Black Sea, Turkey needs a new regional strategy

By Yevgeniya Gaber

As strikes continue to grow on shipping throughout the Black Sea, Turkey must reevaluate its approach to shipping and security in the region.

Europe & Eurasia Maritime Security

TURKEYSource

Aug 11, 2026

Turkey wants a bigger role in NATO. Its defense industry will be key.

By Alp Ozen

With the NATO Summit in Ankara behind it, Turkey’s defense sector now faces the challenge of turning political momentum into action—from defense-industrial cooperation to diplomatic initiatives and NATO capability development.

Defense Industry Defense Technologies

Dispatches

Aug 7, 2026

Why Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey just signed a defense pact

By Atlantic Council experts

Each country pledged to defend the others, but each country also has its own motivations for joining the pact.

Conflict Iran

TURKEYSource

Jul 27, 2026

From grain to drones, the Ukraine-Turkey free trade agreement marks a milestone in bilateral cooperation

By Yevgeniya Gaber

The ratification of the Ukraine-Turkey free trade agreement signals a deepening strategic partnership spanning trade, defense, reconstruction, and European integration.

Economy & Business Russia
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Experts

Staff

Alyxandra Marine

Associate Director and Resident Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Crisis Management Defense Policy

Fellow

Daniel E. Mouton

Former Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Fellow

Mark Mowrey

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Atlantic Council Turkey Program

Economy & Business Europe & Eurasia

Fellow

Rich Outzen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Atlantic Council Turkey Program

Arabic Central Asia

Fellow

Eser Özdil

Nonresident Fellow

Atlantic Council Turkey Program

Eastern Europe Energy Markets & Governance

Staff

Alp Ozen

Assistant Director

Atlantic Council Turkey Program

English International Organizations
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