This episode examines how Turkey, long viewed as a stalwart of NATO , has moved outside its previous focus on European security to play a wider regional role in its immediate neighbourhood and beyond, including across the Middle East and Africa. How will Turkey’s broadening security horizon affect its position in NATO, its relations with the Transatlantic community and in particular the US? And how can the UK – long a close partner of Turkey – best develop its security and defence links with Ankara?

Turkey has long been seen as a key part of an expanding European security space, both as a member of NATO and as an EU membership candidate. The souring of ties between Turkey and the EU, and growing instability in Turkey’s southern and eastern neighbourhood has, however, seen Turkey moving beyond the European security framework, and even developing closer ties with Russia. In this episode, Professor Hüseyin Bağcı, President of the Foreign Policy Institute in Ankara and Professor of International Relations at the Middle East Technical University, and Dr. Ziya Meral, RUSI Senior Associate Fellow, discuss with Dr Neil Melvin, Director RUSI International Security Studies, the drivers behind Turkey’s evolving approach to security and defence and look ahead to Turkey’s future role within European security.