Tag Archives: Turkish foreign policy

Waiting for Washington’s Response to Tehran

Posted on May 11, 2026 by Ali Tuygan

May 11, 2026 In his election night victory speech on November 6, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump said, “I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars.” Yet, he twice joined Prime Minister Netanyahu’s war against Iran. And, … Continue reading →

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Europe’s Shifting Geopolitical Landscape

Posted on April 30, 2026 by Ali Tuygan

April 30, 2026 On February 24, 2022, Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. The West condemned the invasion and began to support Ukraine. Four months later, at their summit in Madrid on June 29, NATO allies adopted the “NATO 2022 … Continue reading →

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A War of Nerves

Posted on April 27, 2026 by Ali Tuygan

April 27, 2026 Merriam-Webster defines the title of this post as “a conflict characterized by psychological tactics (such as bluff, threats, and intimidation) designed primarily to create confusion, indecision, or breakdown of morale”. The targeting and seizures of ships by … Continue reading →

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Time for Tough Choices

Posted on April 20, 2026 by Ali Tuygan

April 20, 2026 The Iran-US ceasefire expires on Wednesday. Yet, there is still some uncertainty regarding the second round of the “peace negotiations” in Islamabad. The past ten days have seen intense diplomatic activity, Trump’s flurry of comments and threats, … Continue reading →

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The “Pause”

Posted on April 13, 2026 by Ali Tuygan

April 13, 2026 Last Tuesday, Washington and Tehran agreed, through Pakistan’s mediation, to stop fighting for two weeks. The term used to define the “agreement” was “ceasefire,” often accompanied by the adjective “temporary.” Another word that goes a step beyond … Continue reading →

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The Imperative of Dialogue

Posted on April 6, 2026 by Ali Tuygan

April 6, 2026 As recent polls in the US show, the majority of Americans oppose sending US ground troops into Iran and wish Washington to end the war quickly, even if that means not achieving the goals set out by … Continue reading →

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The West in a Leadership Crisis

Posted on March 30, 2026 by Ali Tuygan

March 30, 2026 Last Saturday, the war in Iran entered its second month. During the past four weeks, the only European leader to object to the attacks on Iran was Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. He issued a clear and … Continue reading →

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Iran War, A New Strain on Transatlantic Relations

Posted on March 23, 2026 by Ali Tuygan

March 23, 2026 With Trump’s second term in the White House, transatlantic relations entered challenging times. First came his largely understandable criticism of the European contribution to common defense, to which Europeans responded by committing to raising defense spending from … Continue reading →

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Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq and the Attack on Libya

Posted on March 20, 2026 by Ali Tuygan

March 20, 2026 Today marks a somber double anniversary in Middle Eastern history: 23 years since the 2003 invasion of Iraq and 15 years since the UK, US, and French intervention against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces in Libya. Years later, the … Continue reading →

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Europe in a Bind

Posted on March 16, 2026 by Ali Tuygan

March 16, 2026 European leaders met in Berlin on August 12, 2025, two days before the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. They issued a statement affirming that the people of Ukraine must have the freedom to decide their future and that … Continue reading →

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