Recap radio
Recap Radio is a podcast that provides analysis and interviews on Turkish politics and foreign policy. The show features in-depth conversations with experts and policymakers, helping listeners understand complex issues. It is broadcast from Ankara, Turkey, offering an insider perspective on the country's domestic and international affairs.
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Turkey’s S-400 dilemma and NATO summit takeaways with Soli Özel
Ankara’s NATO summit is over and Turkey is expected to sell its Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems today, according to a pro-government columnist at the Hürriyet newspaper.The move could pave the way for the US congress to lift sanctions on Turkey and eventually facilitate the nation’s return to the F-35 fighter jet program, from which it was removed due to its 2019 acquisition of the S-40
Turkey, NATO and European defense with Dimitar Bechev
Next week’s NATO summit in Ankara will spotlight Turkey’s role in the alliance and the Turkish defense sector’s potential contributions to European security. Yet, Turkey-EU ties remain strained by a frozen accession process and deep distrust between the Erdoğan government and some member states. To dig into the contradictions and opportunities of deeper Turkey-EU defense cooperation, Turkey recap
Former CHP Deputy Chair Ilhan Uzgel on what's next for Turkey's main opposition party
More than a month has passed since a court ruling removed the leadership of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the party’s future is in limbo.Ousted CHP chair Özgür Özel remains popular with the party base and is attempting to take back his position from the reinstalled but unpopular CHP head Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.To do so, Özel is pushing for a party congress in July that w
Election recap: What’s next for Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan with Olesya Vartanyan
Olesya Vartanyan, a conflict analyst specializing in South Caucasus security and a researcher at George Mason University, joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss the Armenian elections and what comes next for the region.This podcast dives into the many factors behind Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan’s re-election, plus the interplay between Armenia’s peace deal with Azerbaijan and normalizati
Pride month and prejudice: Yıldız Tar on pending LGBT legislation in Turkey
This Pride month, a set of new law proposals criminalizing LGBT expressions and restricting gender transition surgeries are expected to be introduced in the Turkish parliament.In today’s episode, Yıldız Tar, editor-in-chief of KaosGL.org, a news site dedicated to LGBT issues in Turkey, outlines the pending reforms with Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo.They discuss the Tar’s ongoing trial, the curr
Listener mail: CHP chaos, election projections and Turkey-Bangladesh defense ties
Turkey recap deputy editor of Economy recap fame Emily Rice Johnson joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to respond to listener mail.This is our second Q&A episode following the second religious holiday of the year. We focus primarily on the current judicial pressure faced by Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), which recently had its leader Özgür Özel removed from power by
Status update on Syria and SDF integration with Noah Bonsey
Noah Bonsey, a senior advisor at the International Crisis Group focusing on Syria, joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss developments in Syria with a focus on integration efforts regarding the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, SDF.Following a Syrian Army offensive that reclaimed most of the formerly SDF-held territory in northeast Syria, Damascus and the SDF signed a peace agreemen
Court ousts Turkish opposition leader: What comes next with Berk Esen
Berk Esen, associate professor of political science at Sabancı University in Istanbul, joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo for an emergency podcast on the latest blow against Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).On Thursday, May 22, a Turkish court ousted CHP head Özgür Özel from the party leadership and replaced him with his predecessor Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu.This podcast outli
Unpacking the shifts in Turkey’s Libya policy with Jalel Harchaoui
Jalel Harchaoui, a political scientist focused on Libya and a contributor at the Royal United Services Institute, joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss shifts in Turkey’s Libya policy and how they fit into broader US and NATO objectives for stability in the divided nation.The talk outlines how, in 2019, Ankara initially backed the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity in Western L
The Armenian elections and what they mean for Ankara, Baku and Brussels with Nareg Seferian
Researcher Nareg Seferian joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to outline the upcoming Armenia elections on June 7, 2026.Incumbent Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan is seeking re-election on a “Real Armenia” platform, which seeks to downplay historical territorial disputes beyond Armenia’s current borders in favor of EU integration and more cooperation with Azerbaijan and Turkey.It’s a high stakes vot
Suzy Hansen on Turkey under Erdoğan
Journalist and author Suzy Hansen joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss her newly-released book, From Life Itself: Turkey, Istanbul, and a Neighborhood in the Age of Erdoğan.It’s a brutally honest look at Turkey under Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told through the people and street life of the Karagümrük, a rapidly changing neighborhood in Istanbul’s historic Fatih district.This podcast c
Turkey’s growing presence in Somalia with Nebahat Tanrıverdi Yaşar
Nebahat Tanrıverdi Yaşar, visiting fellow at the Centre for Applied Turkey Studies at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss Turkey-Somalia relations.This podcast covers Ankara’s growing military and commercial interests in the Horn of Africa, including the TURKSOM military base in Somalia and offshore energy drilling activiti
Alan Makovsky on Ankara's diplomacy pivot and US-Turkey ties
Alan Makovsky, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss Ankara’s pivot to diplomacy and US-Turkey relations.This podcast covers Turkey’s growing efforts to mediate conflicts and host diplomatic meetings like this weekend’s Antalya Diplomacy Forum and the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara.Also discussed are recent comments by US Ambassador
Takeaways from the Hungary elections with László Szerencsés
László Szerencsés, a postdoctoral researcher at Stockholm University’s Institute for Turkish Studies (SUITS), joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss the Hungary election results, what they mean and their implications for Turkey-Hungary ties.This podcast begins with a deep dive into Hungarian politics, detailing the fall of Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán and the rise of opposition leader Péte
The Turkey-Israel rivalry in a changing Middle East with Howard Eissenstat
Howard Eissenstat, Laurentian associate professor at St. Lawrence University and non-resident scholar at Stockholm University's Institute of Turkish Studies, joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss Turkey-Israel relations.The podcast outlines growing concerns about a looming regional competition between the two states, past and present bilateral dynamics and how the ongoing US-Israel war
Sinan Ülgen on how Turkey views the Iran war
Sinan Ülgen, a former Turkish diplomat and director of EDAM, an Istanbul-based think tank, and a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss the Iran war as viewed from Turkey.The talk outlines Turkish interests and concerns regarding the Iran war, including current and future impacts on Turkey’s economy — and what those could mean for Pres. Recep Tayyip Er
Listener mail: Iran, Fidan and Bilal Erdoğan
Happy birthday to Recap radio! To mark our first year of podcasting, Turkey recap editors Emily Rice Johnson and Diego Cupolo opened our mail bag and responded to a wide range of listener questions.Covered in this episode are election forecasts, candidacy prospects for Hakan Fidan, Bilal Erdoğan and Mansur Yavaş as well as the implications of the Iran war and ongoing PKK peace process for Turkey.W
The Iran war, Kurdish forces and Turkey-Iraq rapprochement with Lahib Higel
Lahib Higel, interim deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa program at the International Crisis Group, joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss the Iran war.Higel recently co-authored a report on Turkey-Iraq rapprochement titled “Strengthening Iraq-Türkiye Ties amid Regional Tensions.” In this podcast, she juxtaposes the main trend lines from the report against the ongoing r
How the Iran war impacts Turkey and the PKK peace talks with Ezgi Başaran
Today’s guest is Ezgi Başaran, a political scientist and author of the books Frontline Turkey: The Conflict at the Heart of the Middle East and The New Spirit of Islamism: Interactions Between the AKP, Ennahda and the Muslim Brotherhood. She is also the author of the weekly Substack called Angle, Anchor, and Voice.Together with Diego Cupolo, editor-in-chief at Turkey recap, Ezgi discussed US propo
Iran, war and the Turkey-Israel rivalry with Hürcan Aslı Aksoy
Two days after the US and Israel launched new airstrikes on Iran, Hürcan Aslı Aksoy, a senior fellow at the Centre for Applied Turkey Studies at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, discussed what this means for Ankara with Diego Cupolo, editor-in-chief at Turkey recap.Aksoy is the author of a recent report on Israel-Turkey regional competition and, after laying out the im
Syria, centralization and the SDF ceasefire with Amy Austin Holmes
Our guest today is Amy Austin Holmes, a professor at Texas A&M University's Bush School of Government and Public Service in Washington DC, and author of the book, “Statelet of Survivors: The Making of a Semi-Autonomous Region in Northeast Syria.”Together with Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo, she outlined developments before and after Damascus and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) rea
The state of Turkey-Greece relations with Ioannis Grigoriadis
Ioannis Grigoriadis, an associate professor of political science at Bilkent University and head of the Turkey program at the Hellenic Foundation of European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss Turkey-Greece relations.On Feb. 11, Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Ankara, where the pair signed various cooperation an
Nacho Sánchez Amor on Syria, migration and EU-Turkey relations
The European Parliament’s rapporteur on Turkey, Nacho Sánchez Amor, joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss Ankara’s stalled EU accession process and recent developments in the region.Amor shares his views on humanitarian needs in northern Syria following clashes between the Syrian army and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). He also covers migration coordination between Europea
Media strategy in the 'New Turkey' with Bilge Yeşil
Bilge Yeşil, a professor of media culture at the College of Staten Island, City University of New York and an affiliate faculty of Middle Eastern Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center, joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss media and communication strategies in Turkey.Yeşil lays out how Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s administration presents itself as a benevolent global actor and “voice of
Syria’s new political map and the Turkey-PKK peace talks with Henri Barkey
Henri J. Barkey, adjunct senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss the SDF’s territorial losses this weekend and the possible implications for Turkey’s PKK peace talks.The podcast covers security concerns for the US and Israel, the potential fate of Islamic State prisoners in Syria plus future prospects for the Kurd
Kaya Genç on journalism and censorship in Turkey
Author and journalist Kaya Genç joins Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to talk about what it means to report and write about Turkey in 2026 amid the latest wave of repression on government opponents, cultural figures and free speech, in general.The discussion covers censorship and the ethical quandaries reporters must navigate to perform their jobs. Genç also reflects on the responsibility of inte
Turkish foreign policy in 2026 with Özgür Ünlühisarcıklı
To kick off the new year, Özgür Ünlühisarcıklı, the US German Marshall Fund’s managing director of south and wider Europe as well as regional director for Turkey, joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss Turkey’s foreign policy in 2026.The talk starts with Turkey-Venezuela relations in the aftermath of the US capture of Venezuelan Pres. Nicolás Maduro, and then moves counterclockwise aro
Turkish foreign policy in Central Asia with Daria Isachenko
Daria Isachenko, an associate at the Centre for Applied Turkey Studies in the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss Ankara’s growing political and commercial ties with Central Asia.The talk covers initial outreach efforts in the 1990s, in which Turkey was seen as a “door opener” for Europe to regional actors, such as Kazakhstan,
Russian disinformation in Turkey with Karolina Wanda Olszowska and Karol Wasilewski
Karolina Wanda Olszowska, president and co-founder of the Institute for Turkey Studies, and Karol Wasilewski, head of the Turkey, Caucasus and Central Asia Department at the Centre for Eastern Studies (OSW), joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to outline Russian disinformation strategies in Turkish media.The talk comes as EU leaders meet to discuss the future of the Ukraine-Russia war and focu
Unpacking Turkey-Hungary relations with László Szerencsés
László Szerencsés, a postdoctoral researcher at the Stockholm University Institute for Turkish Studies (SUITS), joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to review the state of Turkey-Hungary ties.The conversation comes after Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán met with Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Istanbul Monday, Dec. 8. We cover the basis of bilateral ties, from pragmatic energy connectivity to ci
Turkey’s economy in a global context with Can Selçuki
Can Selçuki, an economist and director of Research Istanbul, joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss Turkey’s economic standing after more than two years of reforms under Finance Min. Mehmet Şimşek.Selçuki also outlined Turkey’s trade relations with European and Asian nations, its competitive advantages against other middle-income nations and the challenges posed by its education system
What US Syria policy means for Turkey with James Jeffrey
James Jeffrey, former US ambassador to Turkey, Iraq, Albania and former US special representative for Syria engagement, joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss Syrian Pres. Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to Washington on Monday, Nov. 10.Jeffrey reviewed US policy in Syria, including a potential US military presence in Damascus and how Washington views the integration of SDF forces with the cen
The next phase of Turkey-PKK peace talks with Sinem Adar
Sinem Adar, an associate at the Center for Applied Turkey Studies (CATS Network) in the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), joined Turkey recap’s Diego Cupolo to discuss the Turkey-PKK peace process.Adar outlined recent steps taken by Kurdish militants to disarm and withdraw from Turkey as members of the parliamentary peace commission consider a meeting with PKK leader A
What’s behind the power shift in North Cyprus with Fiona Mullen
Fiona Mullen, director of Sapienta Economics, joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo, to discuss the elections in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and what they mean for Cyprus, Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean.Mullen broke down the dynamics that led to a landslide victory for the new, pro-EU TRNC Pres. Tufan Erhürman over the Ankara-backed incumbent Ersin Tatar. She also weighe
Israel, Gaza and US-Turkey relations with Soner Çağaptay
Joining Recap radio today is Soner Çağaptay, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute and author of many books on modern Turkey, including “A Sultan in Autumn: Erdogan Faces Turkey’s Uncontainable Forces” – available here.Çağaptay outlined the shift in US-Turkey ties under the Trump administration, which appears to be viewing Ankara as an increasingly valuable partner for achieving US policy go
How Turkey’s opposition is countering state pressure with Seda Demiralp
Prof. Dr. Seda Demiralp joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss the state of Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) amid mounting corruption investigations – which many citizens view as politicized judicial pressure.Demiralp comments on the looming investigation into CHP Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş, a potential presidential contender as the opposition frontrunner, Istanb
How Azerbaijan-Armenia peace talks might reshape the region with Zaur Shiriyev
Zaur Shiriyev, a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process.Shiriyev outlined the current state of negotiations as well as implications for Turkey, the Zangezur transit corridor and what’s at stake for Russia, Iran, Central Asian nations and the European Union.Israel-Azerbaijan relations were al
Taking stock of the PKK peace talks with Burak Bilgehan Özpek
Joining Recap radio this week is Burak Bilgehan Özpek, a professor of political science at TOBB University of Economics and Technology and long-time political commentator for the online publication, Daktilo1984.Together with Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo, Özpek shared his views on why the PKK peace process might collapse, potential faults in the AKP-MHP ruling alliance and succession debates ov
What’s next for Turkey’s opposition with Arife Köse
Arife Köse, a PhD researcher at the University of East Anglia, joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss the crackdown on Turkey's opposition, the Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) response and what comes next.They covered the CHP’s extraordinary congress on Sept. 21 and CHP Chair Özgür Özel’s mandate in the face of ongoing judicial pressure that has seen hundreds of party members investi
How markets rate political risk in Turkey with Wolfango Piccoli
Wolfango Piccoli, co-president of political risk advisory services at Teneo, joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss Turkey’s economy, how markets approach political risk and what the government is doing (or not) to stem years of high inflation.Piccoli covered investor sentiments towards Turkey, the implications of the ongoing crackdown on the main opposition Republican People’s Party (
Turkey’s democracy, Syria and the PKK peace process with Gönül Tol
Gönül Tol, director of the Turkey Program at the Middle East Institute, joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss Turkey’s democratic backsliding, the PKK peace process and Ankara’s Syria policy.This podcast was recorded shortly after a court-appointed trustee took over the leadership of the main opposition Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) Istanbul provincial headquarters amid wide-spann
What’s really behind falling birth rates with Neslihan Çevik
Neslihan Çevik, a sociologist, former politician, consultant and non-resident fellow at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Culture at the University of Virginia, joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss falling fertility rates in Turkey.Çevik expanded on the ideas she outlined in a recent commentary for the National News, titled “This is what the Muslim world needs to do to boost its
Why Turkish newspapers sometimes lie with Andrew Finkel
Long-time journalist Andrew Finkel joined Turkey recap editor Diego Cupolo to discuss media culture and media capture in Turkey under the Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.Having contributed to both international and Turkish media outlets, Finkel has a unique perspective on news in Turkey. He witnessed the transformation of mainstream media from the 1990s till the present day, in which about 90 percent o
How Syria impacts the Turkey-PKK talks with Mohammed A. Salih
Mohammed A. Salih, a non-resident senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and analyst of Kurdish affairs, joined Turkey recap editor-in-chief Diego Cupolo to discuss developments in Syria and how they may factor into the Turkey-PKK peace process.Salih covered recent clashes in southern Syria between Bedouin and Druze groups, which left more than 1,400 dead. He also discussed how rec
Armenia, Turkey and the Zangezur corridor with Nareg Seferian
Independent researcher Nareg Seferian joined Turkey recap editor-in-chief Diego Cupolo to discuss Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks and their implications for the region.They covered the July 10 meeting between Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani Pres. Ilham Aliyev in Abu Dhabi and their efforts to finalize a peace agreement in the aftermath of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War.The peace talks wi
Media and politics in 'New Turkey' with Lisel Hintz
Turkey recap editor-in-chief Diego Cupolo spoke with Lisel Hintz, assistant professor of International Relations at Johns Hopkins University SAIS and author of the book: “Identity Politics Inside Out: National Identity Contestation and Foreign Policy in Turkey.”They discussed how narratives in pro-government media aim to create cultural and political hegemony in Turkey under Pres. Recep Tayyip Erd
Unpacking Israel-Turkey relations with Gallia Lindenstrauss
Today, Turkey recap editor-in-chief Diego Cupolo spoke with Gallia Lindenstrauss, a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, an independent think tank affiliated with Tel Aviv University in Israel.They discussed Israel-Turkey relations through the lens of the Israel-Iran war, developments in Syria, the PKK peace process, the Gaza war, Hamas and more.In addition, the t
US-Turkey ties in a changing region with Aaron Stein
Today, we spoke with Aaron Stein, president of the US-based Foreign Policy Research Institute and author of the book: “US War Against ISIS: How America and its Allies Defeated the Caliphate”.Topics covered include Iran, Israel, the US and Turkey’s place in the conflict now unfolding on NATO’s eastern border. We also discussed the potential implications of the Syria transition and the Turkey-PKK pe
Understanding Turkey’s political transition with Berk Esen
Here’s our live webcast with Berk Esen, an associate professor of political science at Sabancı University in İstanbul and co-author of the book, Türkiye'nin Yeni Rejimi: Rekabetçi Otoriterlik.We discussed the mounting trials faced by Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), including investigations against imprisoned Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, who faces a political ban for cor
State of play in Syria with Alexander McKeever
Watch our live webcast with Alexander McKeever, a researcher based in Amman, Jordan, and author of the newsletter This Week in Northern Syria.We discussed developments in Syria six months after regime change and took questions from the audience.Topics covered include SDF-Damascus negotiations, domestic security, repatriation and internal migration, impacts of the Turkey-PKK peace process and the i
Gauging the PKK-Turkey peace process with Ezgi Başaran
Watch our live webcast with Ezgi Başaran, author of the book Frontline Turkey: The Conflict at the Heart of the Middle East and the newsletter Angle, Anchor, and Voice.We put the Turkey-PKK peace process in context and discussed what to expect next. We also took audience questions.Other ways to watch & listen:1. Visit turkeyrecap.com or the Substack app2. Make sure you are logged in and subscribe
The PKK disbands: Implications for Turkey with Selim Koru
Watch our live webcast with Selim Koru, writer of Kültürkampf and author of the book New Turkey and the Far Right, and Diego Cupolo, editor-in-chief of Turkey recap.We discussed the PKK’s decision to dissolve today as well as implications for Turkey and the region. We also took audience questions, and Selim took a few delivery packages while on air.Other ways to watch & listen:1. Visit turkeyrecap
Webcast: Turkey-Italy ties and defense cooperation
Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Rome Tuesday for a Turkey-Italy intergovernmental summit, highlighting fast-developing trade and defense ties between the two NATO allies.In recent months, Turkish defense firm Baykar acquired Italy’s Piaggio Aerospace and announced a joint venture to produce drones with Italy’s defense giant, Leonardo.To make sense of bilateral relations and what they me
Webcast: Sizing up CHP protests with James in Turkey - aka Michael Sercan Daventry
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.turkeyrecap.comWith long tractor convoys and high attendance, the CHP’s mass rally in the conservative Yozgat province on April 19 looked like a potential turning point for the opposition movement in Turkey. But was it?To gauge where the CHP stood one month after the arrest of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu (and more), we hosted a li
