Turkey

Turkey’s role leading NATO’s southeastern flank reflects its status as a fundamental and challenging ally in a turbulent region. Turkey holds unique and vital leverage to tackle many of the most pressing global challenges, including the war in Syria and relations between the West and Russia. Turkey is a valuable U.S. partner on defense, energy cooperation, regional dynamics, the evolving European project, and migration. CSIS analysis explores Turkey’s strategic importance, mounting security challenges, and tumultuous political outlook with vantage points from Europe, the Middle East, and across the global community.

Photo: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Photo: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Make the Ankara Summit About European Defense Autonomy

As NATO meets in Ankara amid transatlantic strain, European allies must present the Trump administration with a burden-shifting roadmap, put its defense industry on a wartime footing, and advance NATO-EU cooperation by addressing Turkey’s role in European defense.

Commentary by Max Bergmann and Otto Svendsen — July 6, 2026

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Experts

Max Bergmann

Max Bergmann

Director, Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program and Stuart Center
Jon Alterman

Jon B. Alterman

Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy
Yasir Atalan

Yasir Atalan

Deputy Director and Data Fellow, Futures Lab, Defense and Security Department

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Make the Ankara Summit About European Defense Autonomy

As NATO meets in Ankara amid transatlantic strain, European allies must present the Trump administration with a burden-shifting roadmap, put its defense industry on a wartime footing, and advance NATO-EU cooperation by addressing Turkey’s role in European defense.

Commentary by Max Bergmann and Otto Svendsen — July 6, 2026

Audio Briefs

What Role Can Turkey Play in Ukraine Negotiations?

An audio version of “What Role Can Turkey Play in Ukraine Negotiations?,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Yasir Atalan. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Yasir Atalan — December 19, 2024

Audio Briefs

Prisoner of the Caucasus?

It is time for Washington, in tandem with its allies, to develop a more realistic, forward-looking approach to the South Caucasus, a region that now faces internal upheaval and its neighbors' mounting ambitions.

Report by Jeffrey Mankoff — December 17, 2024

What Role Can Turkey Play in Ukraine Negotiations?

Should Trump want to pursue a diplomatic track on the war, Turkey can serve as a critical mediator in the Black Sea region, leveraging its NATO membership and ties to Ukraine and Russia.

Commentary by Yasir Atalan — December 12, 2024

Examining Extremism: Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)

The Transnational Threats Project's Examining Extremism series provides an overview and assessment of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, a nationalist insurgency that has a complicated relationship with both the U.S. and Turkey.

Blog Post by Alexander Palmer and Mackenzie Holtz — July 13, 2023

The Truth of the Matter

Erdogan Wins, U.S.’s “Difficult Ally”

CSIS’s Bulent Aliriza joins the podcast to discuss what Turkish President Erdogan’s win means for the United States who has called Turkey a “difficult ally.”

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Bulent Aliriza — May 31, 2023

CSIS the truth of the matter
The Truth of the Matter

End of Line for Erdogan?

CSIS’s Bulent Aliriza joins the program to discuss Turkey’s upcoming elections and whether President Erdogan will leave office if defeated.

Podcast Episode by H. Andrew Schwartz and Bulent Aliriza — May 11, 2023

CSIS the truth of the matter

The Inhospitable Sea: Toward a New U.S. Strategy for the Black Sea Region

Russia’s war in Ukraine has upended security and stability across the wider Black Sea region. A new U.S. Black Sea strategy should focus on restoring the balance of power, catalyzing regional cooperation, and fostering connectivity among NATO allies and partners.

Report by Lisa Aronsson and Jeffrey Mankoff — February 2, 2023