U.S.-Turkey Relations in Light of Current Developments

Discussants

• Ian Lesser, Vice President, Foreign Policy; Executive Director, Brussels, GMF
• Barçın Yinanç, Columnist, Hurriyet Daily News

Moderator

• Ceylan Canbilek, Senior Program Officer, GMF

The U.S.-Turkey relationship has been on a slippery slope for several years. But are tensions dissolving in light of current developments? First, while sanctions against Turkey seemed imminent, the impeachment procedures against President Trump distracted Congress from following through. Next, the Idlib battle broke out between Turkey and the Russia-backed Syrian regime forces and the United States gave Turkey significant political support. Furthermore, since the coronavirus pandemic, bilateral tensions between the United States and Turkey have become a side issue. Last but not the least, Turkey reportedly will postpone the operationalization of the S-400 systems, which was scheduled for mid-April. This will minimize the risk of Turkey being sanctioned by the United States for the S-400s in the short-term. Does the current de-escalation of tensions between the United States and Turkey provide a real window of opportunity for ending the vicious cycle in the bilateral relationship, and preventing it from maybe rolling over the cliff? How can Ankara and Washington make best use of this opportunity? What are the stakes if this opportunity is missed? Please join us in this conversation to discuss these questions and more.

If you have any questions, please contact Ceylan Canbilek at [email protected].