SETA DC

Since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Damascus has rapidly emerged as an internationally recognized actor. By providing internal security and through high-level diplomatic engagements, the Al-Sharaa government has marked Syria’s return to the international arena. At the same time, stability at home has remained fragile, with unresolved challenges related to territorial integrity, sovereignty, security, governance, and post-conflict integration. Domestic disturbances were contained and agreements were reached in a relatively short amount of time, strengthening hopes of lasting stability.

Most recently, a ceasefire and a comprehensive “Ceasefire and Full Integration Agreement” between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has been reached. The agreement provides a framework for restoring state authority, including the phased transfer of territories under YPG/SDF control to Syrian state institutions, integration of military and administrative structures, dismantling of parallel governance arrangements, and measures addressing civilian rights as well as return of displaced populations. 

In this timely panel discussion, leading experts examine the implications of this agreement, the prospects for successful integration, and the broader processes of political reconstruction and state consolidation in Syria.

Speakers 

James Jeffrey, Distinguished Fellow, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Charles Lister, Senior Fellow and Director of the Syria Initiative, Middle East Institute 

Mona Yacoubian, Director and Senior Adviser, Middle East Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

Moderator

Kilic Bugra Kanat, Research Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

Bu bölümde Kadir Üstün ve Kılıç Kanat, Ozan Ahmet Çetin’in moderatörlüğünde, ABD’de yapılan yerel seçimleri, Zohran Mamdani’nin olası New York Belediye Başkanlığını ve Demokrat Parti’nin geleceğini tartışıyor.

Bu bölümde Kadir Üstün ve Kılıç Kanat, Ozan Çetin'in moderatörlüğünde Başkan Trump'ın Gazze ve Ukrayna hamlelerini değerlendiriyor.

As tensions rise between Iran and Israel, the broader Middle East is once again at a critical juncture. Following Israel’s renewed threats against Iran’s nuclear capabilities and the U.S. strike on Houthi targets in Yemen, regional dynamics have grown increasingly volatile. While the United States has reached a ceasefire agreement with the Houthis, Israel signaled its intention to continue military operations in Yemen. At the same time, the nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran, most recently held in Oman on May 11, continue with uncertain prospects. In light of these developments, what will be the regional consequences of growing tensions between Iran and Israel? Can the ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear talks yield any tangible results? And how might the U.S.-Houthi ceasefire agreement reshape the broader geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a distinguished panel of experts to examine the risks of escalation, diplomacy, and regional realignment.

Speakers

Trita Parsi, Executive Vice President, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft

Randa Slim, Non-Resident Fellow, Foreign Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies

Geoffrey Aronson, Chairman & Co-Founder, The Mortons Group

Moderator

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

The war in Ukraine entered its fourth year in February. Despite intense efforts by the Trump administration to reach a peace deal soon, there is no clear end in sight. While President Trump is advocating for an immediate peace settlement with Russia to end the bloodshed, Türkiye has emerged as a credible intermediary between the warring parties. The U.S. recently signed an economic agreement with Ukraine, intertwining American interests with Ukraine’s postwar future. While Russia appears in no rush to reach a final settlement as it declared four additional Ukrainian regions must be under its control in a potential deal, Ukraine remains unwilling to compromise its territorial integrity in any eventual settlement. 

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to host a distinguished panel of experts to examine the key factors that could shape or obstruct a peace deal in Ukraine. 

Speakers

Luke Coffey, Senior Fellow, Center on Europe and Eurasia, Hudson Institute 

Ambassador John E. Herbst, Senior Director, Eurasia Center, Atlantic Council

Mark N. Katz, Professor Emeritus of Government and Politics, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University and Nonresident Scholar, Atlantic Council

Moderator

Kilic Kanat, Research Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

The Trump administration has begun a substantial drawdown of its military footprint in Syria, shuttering three of its eight operational bases and reducing troop levels. This development follows the emergence of a post-Assad administration in Damascus. The move represents partial progress toward a long-held goal of President Trump to scale back U.S. involvement in Syria, underscoring his ongoing effort to redefine America’s global role. While the prospect of withdrawal has circulated in Washington policy circles for years, its implementation remains a source of contention. It is also a sore point in Turkish-American relations, as it relates to the U.S. support for the YPG. Key questions over the potential withdrawal’s strategic implications remain: How will such a recalibration impact the U.S.-Türkiye relations? How will regional actors respond to the reduced American footprint in Syria? What lies ahead for Syria in terms of its security and territorial unity? How might key players like Israel interpret and react to Washington’s shifting posture?

The SETA Foundation at Washington, D.C. is pleased to host a timely panel discussion to examine these critical questions. The discussion will explore how the Trump administration’s recalibration may reshape U.S. policy toward Syria and its neighbors, impact bilateral relations with Türkiye, and influence the balance of power in the region.

Speakers

Mike Doran, Senior Fellow and Director of the Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East, Hudson Institute

Rich Outzen, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

Moderator

Kilic Kanat, Research Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

As the second Trump administration’s national security and foreign policy policy shapes up, critical strategic issues are expected to define the future of Turkish-American relations. Bilateral defense cooperation, the ongoing war in Ukraine, the U.S. strategy in northern Syria, instability in the Middle East, and the U.S. competition with China will be central to discussions between the Türkiye and the U.S. How will the incoming Trump administration approach these long standing challenges? What impact will Trump’s foreign policy priorities have on Turkey’s security and strategic position in the region? What are the opportunities for cooperation between the two NATO allies?

The SETA Foundation in Washington DC is pleased to convene a distinguished panel of experts to discuss the Turkish-American relations in the second Trump administration.

Speakers

Amb. James Jeffrey, Chair of the Middle East Program, The Wilson Center

Col. (Ret.) Rich Outzen, Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Atlantic Council

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

Moderator

Kilic Kanat, Research Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

The SETA Foundation at Washington, DC is pleased to host a book event to discuss Gloria Shkurti Özdemir’s new book, Artificial Intelligence ‘Arms Dynamics’: The Case Of The U.S. And China Rivalry.

Speaker: Gloria Shkurti Ozdemir, Researcher in the Foreign Policy Directorate, The SETA Foundation

Moderator: Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington, DC

For the last seventy years, experts have tried to define the nature of Turkey’s partnership with the US. While Turkish-US relations have always been susceptible to different crises, they enjoyed a brief “golden era” in the 1950s. This book argues that a false nostalgia about that period – when the strategic interests of two countries fully converged – has distorted analyses by scholars and policymakers ever since. To provide a more accurate assessment, this book look at the patterns of crises between the two countries throughout history and how these relate to the current points of tension in Turkish-American relations today. It coins a new conceptual framework to understand the Turkey-US partnership: the “vulnerable partnership”. The book outlines the key causes of this vulnerability, showing that for the last 70 years, there have been recurring frictions and faultlines that have been repeated across different political periods. These especially involve the US congress, public opinion, Russia, and crises in the Middle East. Based on journalistic, archival and scholarly sources, the topic of the book is at the intersection foreign policy studies, Middle East politics, the history of Turkish-American relations, and foreign policy making.

The SETA Foundation at Washington, DC is pleased to host a book event to discuss Kilic Bugra Kanat’s new book, Mapping the Fault Lines in Turkey-US Relations.

Speaker: Kilic Kanat, Research Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington DC

Moderator: Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, The SETA Foundation at Washington, DC

The Biden administration’s unwavering support for Israel’s operations in Gaza has created intense criticism domestically and abroad. Democratic Party’s primary results from key states like Michigan and Minnesota indicated a substantial number of “uncommitted” votes against administration’s refusal to call for an immediate ceasefire. Recent statements from US leaders signaled a growing discomfort with Israel’s strategy to accomplish its self-declared goal of eradicating Hamas. President Biden, who had previously cast doubt on the reported number of casualties in Gaza, drew a “red line” saying he could not accept 30,000 more Palestinians dead. Similarly, Senator Schumer openly criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu, calling for a change in Israeli leadership. Yet, Netanyahu remains defiant, dismissing both leaders’ concerns and asserting that his policies enjoy broad support within Israel. As Israel’s military operations continue to escalate, with Rafah notably not spared from the conflict, the humanitarian situation becomes extremely dire. It is not clear what costs the administration might be willing to impose on Tel Aviv in an election year. As the international community appears unable to change the dynamics on the ground, what are the policy options for the US? Are we witnessing a shift in US policy towards Israel? Can the US pressure halt the humanitarian crisis?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to convene a panel of experts to shed light on the evolution of US policy on Israel’s war in Gaza.

Speakers

Daniel Levy, President, US/Middle East Project, European Council on Foreign Relations

Lara Friedman, President, the Foundation for Middle East Peace

Kadir Ustun, Executive Director, the SETA Foundation at Washington DC 

Moderator

Kilic Kanat, Research Director, the SETA Foundation at Washington DC