Etiket arşivi: Turkish foreign policy

Facts as Opposed to Public Discourse

June 2, 2025

In recent weeks, there have been more references to growing international criticism of the IDF’s Gaza operations and mounting pressure on Israel.

President Macron, in a speech opening a security forum in Singapore last week, said that he heard the voice in this region, as well in Africa, South America, the Gulf, about the double standard in Gaza, where a lot think that the Americans and the Europeans are giving a free pass to Israel, and this is a big risk.[i]

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The Long Call

May 26, 2025

Following his two-hour-long telephone call with President Putin on May 19, President Trump claimed that his conversation with the Russian leader went very well and that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to start negotiations toward a ceasefire immediately. He also said, “Russia wants to do large-scale TRADE with the United States when this catastrophic ‘bloodbath’ is over, and I agree. There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth. Its potential is UNLIMITED. Likewise, Ukraine can be a great beneficiary on Trade, in the process of rebuilding its Country.”[i]

Washington’s Western allies hardly shared his optimism.

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A Frenetic Week

May 19, 2025

Last week, the world focused on President Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and the Russia-Ukraine “peace talks”, and the rising death toll in Gaza.

Looking at the welcome extended to Mr. Trump and the deals made in the three Gulf nations, one cannot help but remember President Biden’s visit to the region in July 2022.

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Trump’s First Hundred Days and Türkiye

May 5, 2025

At the end of President Trump’s first 100 days in office, the US and world media published assessments of the past three months.

The International Crisis Group, in a commentary titled “Trump’s Turbulent First 100 Days: Views from Around the Globe,” said:

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Ukraine Conflict in Its Fourth Year

April 28, 2025

President Trump likes being on the center stage at all times, prefers communicating his messages personally, and enjoys press gaggles. His messages, remarks, threats, and flip-flops are confusing and have introduced an element of unpredictability into US foreign policy on a wide range of issues, including the war in Ukraine. And he constantly berates his predecessors, blaming them for failures.

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Türkiye’s Radish War

April 21, 2025

Following President Erdoğan’s first use of it in early January after the arrest of Mr. Rıza Akpolat, the Mayor of the Beşiktaş district of İstanbul, “radish” has become the top word of the Turkish political lexicon. Once he used the word, Mr. Özgür Özel, the leader of the main opposition party CHP, reacted by calling it “a declaration of war”. Thus, while the world remains engaged in a tariff war, we are fighting an internal “radish war”.

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High Time for the Left to Rally

April 14, 2025

People aspire to democracy.  Regardless of the level of respect they have for fundamental rights and freedoms, all regimes, including dictatorships claim to be democratic as this remains the ultimate source of legitimacy. People also aspire to economic development, higher standards of living, and a fair distribution of income.

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The Question of the Endgame in Gaza (2)

April 7, 2025

On January 18, 2025, following the Israeli government’s approval of the Gaza ceasefire, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a statement.  He notably declared that Israel retains the right to return to the war, if necessary, with the backing of the US. And in a broad assessment of the war against Hamas and Iran’s Axis of Resistance, he said:

“We eliminated Sinwar, Deif and Haniyeh. We eliminated Nasrallah and the entire Hezbollah leadership. We destroyed most of the weaponry of the Syrian military. We struck the Houthis in Yemen. We acted against Iran. Indeed, we struck all of these very hard, that is to say that we struck the entire Iranian axis very hard – and we are still active.

“Just as I promised you, we have changed the face of the Middle East.”

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Türkiye at an Inflection Point (2)

March 31, 2025

Türkiye’s governing AKP came to power in November 2002. Twenty-three years later, it is still in power. Children who started elementary school in 2002 are now thirty.

In its early years, the AKP appeared to have a democratic agenda. It engaged in economic reform.

At the Brussels summit on December 17, 2004, EU leaders agreed to start accession negotiations with Ankara. These negotiations were kicked off in Luxembourg on October 3, 2005. AKP’s popular support surged. However, while many were happy with the AKP’s performance, some reserved judgment and waited for what could be “in-store”.

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