Tag Archives: Turkey-Russia

Russia-Ukraine Crisis Episode 3

Posted on February 23, 2022 by Ali Tuygan

February 24, 2022 It started with satellite photos of the Russian military buildup near Ukraine in early November 2021. Ever since, Russia and the West have been fighting a war of nerves with frenetic diplomacy accompanied by mutual accusations of … Continue reading →

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How We Lost Our Way

Posted on May 3, 2021 by Ali Tuygan

May 3, 2021 During my years at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I sometimes asked the ambassadors in Ankara how they viewed their job in our capital since they usually stressed Turkey’s location as a unique observation post for … Continue reading →

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Quo Vadis Turkey (3)

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

Co-authored with Yusuf Buluc (*) July 29, 2019 A year ago, if one were patient enough to draw up a list of the problems on the Turkish-American agenda this would have reflected a relationship not between NATO allies or family … Continue reading →

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Turkey’s S400s/F35s Conundrum

Posted on June 14, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

  June 14, 2019 The last episode of the S400 missiles/F35 fighters controversy has taken Turkey-US relations to unprecedented lows. Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan sent a letter to his Turkish counterpart. For some, this was an “ultimatum”.  Ankara’s earlier … Continue reading →

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Fighting for Survival?

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

  May 22, 2019 Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party’s (JDP) principal theme in the recent municipal election campaign was “the fight for Turkey’s survival”. The party and its supporters in the media claimed that Turkey was under the siege … Continue reading →

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From Downing of Russian Military Aircraft to the Purchase of Russian S-400s

Posted on March 11, 2019 by Ali Tuygan

March 11, 2019 At the beginning of the Syrian conflict Russia and Turkey were on diametrically opposite sides. Russia was supporting the regime, the Turkish government the opposition. Nonetheless, Turkish-Russian relations remained on track. On November 24, 2015 a stunning … Continue reading →

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Time to Get a Grip

Posted on August 20, 2018 by Ali Tuygan

August 20, 2018 When President Obama’s visited Turkey in April 2009 he underlined Turkey’s “strong, vibrant, secular democracy”. Turkish-American relations appeared to have reached their peak. As Turkey started to move away from the democratic path relations started to sour … Continue reading →

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The Trump-Iran-North Korea Imbroglio

Posted on April 10, 2018 by Ali Tuygan

April 10, 2018 Forty-seven years ago, today, the U.S. table tennis team arrived in China. Later in the year, in July 1971, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger made a secret trip to China   paving the way for Richard Nixon’s own … Continue reading →

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A World in Disarray and Turkey

Posted on March 28, 2018 by Ali Tuygan

March 28, 2018 It has been two roller coaster weeks. On March 15, 2018 the US imposed new sanctions on 24 Russian entities and individuals for interfering in the 2016 election and conducting a series of damaging cyberattacks. On March … Continue reading →

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UNSC Resolution 2401(2018): What It Does Say/Not Say About Afrin

Posted on February 28, 2018 by Ali Tuygan

February 28, 2018 UNSC Resolution 2401 (2018) of February 24 demands that all parties cease hostilities without delay for a durable humanitarian pause for at least 30 consecutive days throughout Syria. It calls upon all parties to immediately lift the … Continue reading →

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