Turkiye Archives - Robert Lansing Institute

Russian Shahed Strike on Romania and the Targeting of a Turkish Vessel in the Black Sea: Accident, Escalation, or Deliberate Strategy?

The reported impact of a Russian-origin Shahed-type drone on a residential building in the Romanian city of Galați, combined with the reported strike on a Turkish-operated vessel departing a Ukrainian…

May 29, 2026NATO, Romania, Russia, Turkiye, Ukraine

Geopolitics

Armenia as Russia’s Last Stronghold in the South Caucasus: Why the Kremlin’s Retreat Could Trigger a Wider Eurasian Geopolitical Collapse

The gradual erosion of Russian influence in Armenia may become one of the most strategically important geopolitical shifts in Eurasia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Armenia has long represented…

May 28, 2026Armenia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Turkiye, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan

Geopolitics Governance

Turkiye’s Military Mission in Uzbekistan: Regional Threats, Strategic Calculations, and the Quiet Spread of NATO Standards in Central Asia

Ankara has dispatched a military advisory group to Uzbekistan to assist in reforming the country’s armed forces. The model Turkiye is now applying in Uzbekistan had previously been tested in…

May 26, 2026Turkiye, Uzbekistan

Intelligence ops Propaganda and Disinformation

AfD, Russian Influence, and the Growing Risk of Ethnic Polarization in Germany

The public organization Turkish Community in Germany has warned of a critical increase in the threat of physical violence from right-wing extremists, correlating with the growing popularity of the far-right party Alternative for…

May 14, 2026AfD, Germany, Russia, Turkiye

Geopolitics Intelligence ops

Did Moscow Benefit From Al-Haddad’s Death? Motive Without Proof”

On 23 December 2025, a Dassault Falcon 50 private jet took off from Ankara Esenboğa Airport bound for Tripoli with Libya’s army chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad, and several senior officers on…

December 29, 2025Libya, Russia, Turkiye

Geoeconomics Geopolitics

The Rise of the Organization of Turkic States: A New Strategic Axis Weakening Russia’s Influence in Central Asia

The Organization of Turkic States (OTS), under Turkiye’s increasingly assertive leadership, has transformed from a cultural forum into a dynamic geopolitical bloc. As Russia weakens under the weight of its…

December 3, 2025OTS, Russia, Turkiye

Conflict Governance Warfare

From drones to diplomacy: How Kosovo’s military modernization exposes Vučić’s foreign policy contradictions

The arrival of Turkish-made kamikaze drones in Kosovo has triggered a new diplomatic storm in the Balkans, shaking Serbia’s relationship with one of its key economic partners—Turkey. Thousands of Skydagger drones…

October 10, 2025Kosovo, Serbia, Turkiye

Geopolitics

The Waning Grip: The Decline of Russia’s Foreign Policy in the Global South

Introduction Russia has long positioned itself as an alternative power to the West in the Global South, portraying its diplomacy as non-imperialist and focused on sovereignty, military cooperation, and anti-Western…

July 16, 2025Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkiye

Geopolitics Peacekeeping

Beyond Istanbul: Strategic Steps for the Coalition if Putin Refuses Engagement

The Istanbul negotiations have been positioned as a potential turning point in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. However, the likelihood of meaningful progress remains slim, especially as signals…

May 15, 2025Russia, Turkiye, Ukraine, USA

Conflict Geopolitics National Security

Israel’s Strategy: Backing Russian Bases in Syria to Curb Turkish Influence

Israel seeks to weaken Turkey's influence in Syria by lobbying the U.S. for measures to decentralize the country and maintain Russia's military presence. Israeli officials fear that a Turkish-backed Islamist…

March 3, 2025Israel, Russia, Syria, Turkiye, USA

Turkiye