SETA 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

The United States has approved the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye after Turkish Grand National Assembly ratified Sweden’s NATO membership. The State Department notified U.S. Congress of the $23bn agreement to sell the aircraft, modernization kits, and other equipment. These developments indicate that we are nearing the conclusion of the long-debated F-16 issue which should have been a rather routine and less politicized arms deal between the two NATO allies. Many observers regard the sale of F-16s a glimmer of hope for improving bilateral ties. The sale might serve as an opportunity to begin a new chapter by addressing mutual distrust and promoting cooperation between the two countries.

What are the remaining steps for the completion of the sale? What is the importance of the F-16s for Türkiye’s security needs? What are the implications of the F-16 deal’s for the U.S.-Türkiye defense relations, and how does this influence their broader partnership? Will this momentum spillover to other issue areas where significant differences remain?

The SETA Foundation in Washington DC is pleased to convene a panel of experts to discuss the F-16 deal’s implications for the U.S.-Türkiye relations.

Speakers

Burhanettin Duran, General Coordinator, The SETA Foundation

Mustafa Kibaroglu, Professor of International Relations, MEF University

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

Moderator

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

Weeks of an intense Israeli bombardment campaign following Hamas’s October 7 attack have created unprecedented devastation in Gaza, resulting in the tragic loss of more than 13,000 civilian lives, most of whom are women and children. Survivors grapple with acute scarcity and a dearth of essential commodities, including potable water and medicinal supplies. Alarmingly, the international community's efforts to address the humanitarian situation have been insufficient in the face of Israel’s refusal to declare a ceasefire. There are worries that the ongoing regional escalation might turn into a broader conflict. Several countries have called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and offered to mediate. Türkiye has proposed a guarantorship mechanism, involving regional countries, with the aim of establishing durable peace in Palestine. Given this complicated picture, what immediate actions should the international community take to address the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza? What might the framework of an internationally sanctioned peace settlement look like? Is such an arrangement feasible and attainable in the near term? How can mediation efforts lead to de-escalation, prevent a regional war, and lead to lasting peace?

The SETA Foundation in Washington DC is pleased to convene a panel of experts to discuss Israel’s war in Gaza and the prospects for achieving peace between Israel and Palestine.

Speakers

Khaled Elgindy, Senior Fellow, Director of Program on Palestine and Palestinian-Israeli Affairs, Middle East Institute 

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

Randa Slim, Senior Fellow and Director of Conflict Resolution and Track II Dialogues Program, Middle East Institute

Moderator

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

Last week, a critical NATO summit took place in Vilnius, Lithuania, featuring leaders from member states. Turkish President Erdogan set a positive tone by clearing the way for Sweden’s NATO membership. A cordial meeting between Presidents Erdogan and Biden echoed a mutual intention to foster a favorable future for Turkish-American relations. This positive tone peaked with a critical understanding – the Biden administration’s strong support to supply F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye, resolving a period of uncertainty. The summit left observers pondering the future of this newfound enthusiasm for cooperation between the two countries.

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to convene a panel of experts to shed light on US-Türkiye relations in the wake NATO’s Vilnius summit.

Speakers

Luke Coffey, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute

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

Moderator

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

This year marks the seventh anniversary of the July 15 coup attempt. Standing as a testament to the Turkish people's unwavering commitment to democracy, the failure of the coup attempt constituted a critical turning point in Türkiye’s recent history. This pivotal event has left a strong imprint on the nation's foreign policy trajectory with far-reaching implications. Türkiye found itself grappling with a myriad of foreign policy challenges, including the terror threat emanating from Syria, rocky relations with the U.S., and the war in Ukraine among others. What are the long-lasting reverberations of the July 15 coup attempt within the framework of Turkish foreign policy? What facets of foreign policy were predominantly reshaped by the coup attempt? Has the recent NATO Vilnius Summit signaled a potential shift in the dynamics of Türkiye’s relations with the West?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to convene a panel of experts to shed light on Turkish foreign policy after the elections.

Speakers

Burhanettin Duran, General Coordinator at The SETA Foundation

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

Moderator

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

Türkiye has completed its pivotal presidential elections, with nearly 54 million individuals casting their votes. Erdogan secured 52% of the votes, earning him another presidential term. The question that stands at the forefront is: what were the key factors behind Erdogan's success? What are the messages that the Turkish electorate sought to convey through their votes? Going forward, what will be the nature of the relationship between the legislative and executive branches in the wake of these results? And what will be the implications for domestic and international policy?

The SETA Foundation at Washington DC is pleased to convene a panel of experts to shed light on the Turkish presidential election results, evaluate the candidates' performance since the first round, and discuss policy implications.

Speakers

Burhanettin Duran, General Coordinator at The SETA Foundation

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

Moderator

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