How does Turkey perceive its position as a state actor in an increasingly multipolar world? In terms of grand strategy, what are its fundamental interests and objectives? And what are the keys to maintaining the vital relationship between Turkey and the NATO alliance, of which it has been a member since 1952?

In this episode of the MWI Podcast, John Amble is joined by Dr. Ziya Meral. A senior associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and a visiting fellow at the Royal Navy’s Strategic Studies Centre whose research focuses on a range of security and defense issues, among his areas of specialization is Turkish foreign policy.

Turkey is in the middle of a presidential election, the closest challenge to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in his twenty years in power. This offers an opportunity for a broad survey of the evolution of Turkish foreign policy, statecraft, and strategy during those two decades and an exploration of how these might continue to evolve going forward. From the emergence of Turkey’s strong and growing defense industry to the challenges it must navigate amid tensions between NATO and Russia, this discussion offers a detailed look at Turkey’s position on a shifting regional and global strategic landscape.

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Image credit: Adam Schultz, White House