On December 16, 2019, SIAS held a round-tableconference on Turkey-Russia-US relations, together with the Institute ofInternational Relations at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS).Orhan Gafarli, PhD and fellow from the Ankara Policy Center in Turkey, gave alecture titled “Strategic Interactions among Turkey, US and Russia: Turkey’s Perspective”.

Mr. Gafarli explained that since the Cold War, Turkeyhas tried to pursue a more diversified foreign policy, while the US hopesTurkey to continue its pro-West foreign policy as it did during the Cold War.The strategic partnership between Turkey and the US has structural problems dueto their different regional interests. Though divergent on some regionalissues, Turkey and Russia share common interests on energy cooperation,opposing the unipolar world dominated by the US and preventing the intrusion ofWestern culture. Turkey seeks to follow a policy of balance between the US andRussia, in order to strengthen its sovereignty.

Academics from the Institute of InternationalRelations at SASS joined SIAS research staff at the meeting. They shared theirviews with Mr. Gafarli on a variety of issues, including Turkish domesticpolitics, public support for Turkish President Erdogan, Turkish responses tosanctions imposed by the US, and the situation in the Middle East and the BlackSea.