Podcasts about dimitar bechev

Relations between Turkey and Armenia remain frozen, largely because of Azerbaijan's influence over Ankara and a lack of sustained Western diplomatic engagement. Rym Momtaz sat down with Thomas de Waal and Garo Paylan to discuss the main obstacles to a rapprochement and why reopening the Turkey-Armenia border matters for both regional and Western interests.[00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:35] The State of Turkey-Armenia Relations, [00:11:58] Russia's Influence in the Process, [00:20:47] Can the West Play a Role?Thomas de Waal, March 17, 2025, “Armenia and Azerbaijan's Major Step Forward,” Emissary, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.Thomas de Waal, September 19, 2024, “Armenia and Azerbaijan: A Fragile Peace Process,” Strategic Europe, Carnegie Europe.Thomas de Waal, July 11, 2024, “Armenia Navigates a Path Away From Russia,” Carnegie Europe.Thomas de Waal, Dimitar Bechev, and Maksim Samorukov, May 30, 2024, “Between Russia and the EU: Europe's Arc of Instability,” Carnegie Europe.Thomas de Waal, September 22, 2023, “A Tragic Endgame in Karabakh,” Carnegie Europe.Garo Paylan, January 30, 2025, “Leveraging International Pressure to Reform Turkey,” CivilNet.Garo Paylan, January 13, 2025, “Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Deal: A Golden Opportunity for Trump,” Wall Street Journal.Garo Paylan, July 3, 2024, “Why Washington Must Push Forward the Fragile Armenia-Azerbaijan Peace Plan,” Emissary, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Russia's belligerence and political interference in some of the Black Sea littoral states threaten the EU's influence in the region. Rym Momtaz sat down with Dimitar Bechev and Thomas de Waal to discuss how the union can respond to Moscow's destabilizing actions and keep the enlargement process on track. [00:00:00] Intro, [00:02:13] The Political Situation in Georgia and Moldova, [00:10:04] The EU's Enlargement Strategy, [00:20:14] Europe's Role in the Black SeaRym Momtaz et al., December 5, 2024, “Taking the Pulse: Are Information Operations Russia's Most Potent Weapon Against Europe?,” Strategic Europe, Carnegie Europe.Dimitar Bechev, November 25, 2024, “Illiberal eastern Europeans look to play their Trump card,” Financial Times.Dimitar Bechev, Richard Giragosian, Gorana Grgić, and Batu Kutelia, December 5, 2024, “In Brief: Russia's Hybrid War,”War on the Rocks.Dimitar Bechev, Iliriana Gjoni, October 24, 2024, “All Is Not Well With EU Enlargement to the Western Balkans,” Carnegie Europe.Dimitar Bechev, June 27, 2024, “Between the EU and Moscow: How Russia Exploits Divisions in Bosnia,” Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.Dimitar Bechev, June 20, 2024, “Can EU Enlargement Work?,” Carnegie Europe.Thomas de Waal, January 16, 2025, “Moldova's Gas Crisis Is Europe's Headache,” Strategic Europe, Carnegie Europe.Thomas de Waal, October 31, 2024, “Georgia's Dangerous Moment Is a Challenge for the EU,” Strategic Europe, Carnegie Europe.Thomas de Waal, October 9, 2024, “Can Georgia Stay on Its European Path?,” Europe Inside Out, Carnegie Europe.Thomas de Waal, June 5, 2024, “Opportunistic Georgia joins Europe's illiberal club,” Financial Times.Thomas de Waal, October 9, 2024, “Between Russia and the EU: Europe's Arc of Instability,” Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.

Donald Trump's election victory was driven by domestic issues, but its consequences will reach far beyond US borders. With wars in the Middle East and Europe, and tension high with China, how is his victory being received around the world? In this episode: Steven Erlanger, Chief Diplomatic Correspondent in Europe, The New York Times. Dimitar Bechev, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Europe. Rami Khouri, Distinguished Public Policy Fellow, American University of Beirut. Host: Mohammed Jamjoom Connect with us:@AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook At Al Jazeera Podcasts, we want to hear from you, our listeners. So, please head to https://www.aljazeera.com/survey and tell us your thoughts about this show and other Al Jazeera podcasts. It only takes a few minutes!

Last week Turkish President Erdogan set out on a tour of the Balkans, visiting Albania and Serbia. The tour kicked off in Albania, with Erdogan gifting a number of drones and inaugurating the largest mosque in the Balkans - which was funded by Turkey. The second leg took him to Serbia, where Turkey made a diplomatic comeback in 2017. Thanos Davelis caught up with expert Dimitar Bechev last week while Erdogan was wrapping up his visit to Belgrade. We looked into Erdogan's Balkan tour, and broke down Turkey's broader agenda in the region.Dimitar Bechev is a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, where he focuses on EU enlargement, the Western Balkans, and Eastern Europe, and he is the author of the bookTurkey under Erdogan.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Erdogan inaugurates mosque in Albania, pledges military drones as he begins Balkan tourTurkey, Serbia Eye Cooperation On Production Of Military DronesAndroulakis celebrates reelection as PASOK leader, vows to end New Democracy's dominanceAndroulakis re-elected PASOK leaderUS has not met its commitments, says Greek defense ministerDendias highlights Greece's military progress

During the 2010s the Russian state under Vladimir Putin and a Turkish government led by Recep Tayyip Erdogan deepened a geopolitical relationship involving cooperation as well as armed conflict. Both leaders faced domestic political challenges while pursuing their own visions of great power status.Over the past two decades, Dimitar Bechev has written extensively about these complex interactions between Turkey and Russia in studies that are rich in fascinating insights. This week he will help us explore how an interaction between domestic protest and escalating conflict reshaped the politics of Turkey, Russia and their neighbours during the crisis of the 2010s.The background music is by Through the City by Crowander, and the production for this podcast was by Daniel Mansfield.

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has given EU enlargement new impetus, but obstacles to the Western Balkan countries' integration persist.Dimitar Bechev, senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, and Oana Popescu-Zamfir, director of the Bucharest-based think tank GlobalFocus Center, discuss the domestic dynamics in the region and how Brussels can encourage democratic reform.[00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:41] Where the Western Balkans Stand on the Road to the EU, [00:11:20] Obstacles to EU Enlargement, [00:18:35] Prospects for Western Balkan Countries' EU Accession.Dimitar Bechev, January 11, 2024, “Serbia's Authoritarian (Re)turn,” Carnegie Europe.Dimitar Bechev, December 5, 2023, “There Are No Quick Fixes for EU Enlargement,” Carnegie Europe.Dimitar Bechev, September 28, 2023, “The EU Cannot Give Up on Serbia and Kosovo,” Carnegie Europe.Dimitar Bechev, June 20, 2022, “What Has Stopped EU Enlargement in the Western Balkans?,” Carnegie Europe.Oana Popescu-Zamfir, Nikola Dimitrov, et al., June 2, 2023, “It's a Package Deal! Reforming and Enlarging the European Union in a Contested World,” Institute for Human Sciences.Oana Popescu-Zamfir, Rosa Balfour, et al., June 22, 2022, “What is to be done? The war, the Western Balkans and the EU,” Institute for Human Sciences.Oana Popescu-Zamfir and Zoran Nechev, May 3, 2022, “Time to Recognize Ukraine as European and Shake Up the EU Enlargement Process,” DGAP.

Last week European leaders focused on EU enlargement, from the Western Balkans to Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia. While the EU wants closer ties with these countries, it has also made it clear that it expects reforms, particularly when it comes to issues related to the rule of law and justice. Dimitar Bechev, a research fellow at Carnegie Europe, where he focuses on Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe and a lecturer at Oxford's School of Global and Area Studies, joins Thanos Davelis to look at these latest developments, and break down why he believes there are no quick fixes for EU enlargement.Read Dimitar Bechev's latest here: There Are No Quick Fixes for EU EnlargementYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:EU wants closer ties to Western Balkans but expects reformGreece passes 2024 budget forecasting higher growthGreek parliament passes government's 2024 budgetUS top diplomat Blinken ups pressure on Turkey to secure Sweden's NATO bidTurkey calls on U.S. to use influence to halt Israeli attacks on Gaza -Turkish source

Since the war in Gaza, Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has raised eyebrows among his Western allies for his strident criticism of Israel and refusal to condemn Hamas. Likewise, the atmosphere in Turkey has been heated, with attempts to storm an airbase hosting US troops as well as the Israeli consulate in Istanbul. In this week's episode, Jeremy Shapiro welcomes senior policy fellow Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institute, and Dimitar Bechev, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and the director of the European Policy Institute in Sofia. Together, they look beyond the heated rhetoric and street politics and discuss what the war means for Turkey's foreign policy. Where do Israel-Turkey relations stand now? Could Turkey play a role similar to Qatar's? How are US officials reacting to Turkey's response? This podcast was recorded on 21 November 2023. Bookshelf: Odessa: Genius and Death in a City of Dreams | Charles King American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer | Kai Bird, Martin J. Sherwin Virtual Politics: Faking Democracy in the Post-Soviet World | Andrew Wilson

A firefight between Serb paramilitaries and Kosovo police at the end of September marked one of the worst episodes of violence in the country in years, raising questions about efforts to settle the Kosovo issue and whether future flare-ups of violence are on the horizon in the Western Balkans. Dimitar Bechev, a research fellow at Carnegie Europe, where he focuses on Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe and a lecturer at Oxford's School of Global and Area Studies, joins Thanos Davelis to look at this latest escalation of tensions, explore what it means for the ongoing Kosovo-Serbia negotiations, and break down what's at stake for the wider region.Read Dimitar Bechev's latest here: Analysis: Are Kosovo and Serbia on the brink of war?The EU Cannot Give Up on Serbia and KosovoYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Poland, Hungary threaten to derail EU leaders' gathering in GranadaHungary, Poland rail at EU migration policy as bloc leaders meetAthens tourism's record year

On the podcast this week we look at the outcome of the final round of Turkey's presidential election. Despite the polls showing him behind, and amid a devastating earthquake and an economy in crisis, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been re-elected as Turkey's president, winning by 52 per cent of the vote. In the last episode we covered what Erdoğan's re-election might mean for Turkey's fragile democracy and economy, this week we discuss what five more years of Erdoğan's foreign policy means for Ankara and for its relations with critical players like the US, NATO and Russia. Joining Leslie Vinjamuri on the show to discuss where Turkey may be heading are Galip Dalay, an Associate Fellow Middle East and North Africa programme, Sinem Adar, an Associate Researcher for the German Institute for International and Security Affairs and finally Dimitar Bechev, from the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies. Read our expertise: Turkey's politics on the cusp of generational change  Turkey's next leader may be pro-West but not anti-Russia Turkey at a crossroads Subscribe to Independent Thinking wherever you get your podcasts. Please listen, rate, review and subscribe. Presented by Bronwen Maddox. Produced by John Pollock. Sound by Abdul Boudiaf and Alex Moyler.

Dimitar Bechev is Lecturer at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies (OSGA), University of Oxford. He is also the author of Rival Power: Russia in Southeast Europe. In this episode he talks about the past and the future of Turkey, it's relationship with regional and global powers and more in this edition of Velina's talk. Topics:00:00 Introduction01:00Dimitar's evaluation of Turkey elections03:32 Does Dimitar expect any changes?06:32 Erdogan's vision for Turkey12:11 Evolution of Russia - Turkey Dynamic18:22 Erdogan's positioning of Turkey21:31 Will Turkey get closer to China?27:47 Turkey's policy for regional flashpoints33:33 Turkey and Greece41:46 Turkey and EU relationship going forward Join this channel to get access to perks:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfBfBd-1kvCOPxVll8tBJ9Q/join

The Black Sea is geopolitically significant as both a theater of trade and a theater of war. Russia's invasion of Ukraine shifted the traditional balance between Moscow and Ankara in the region and has led to an increased NATO presence there. Can the EU leverage its economic and foreign policy tools to expand its influence in the Black Sea?Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow with Carnegie Europe, and Dimitar Bechev, a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe, discuss why the Black Sea is once again at the center of world events and what the future holds for the region.[00:00:00] Intro, [00:01:50] The Black Sea Today, [00:07:45] The Russian-Turkish Cohabitation [00.17.58] What Future for the Black Sea Region.Neal Ascherson, "Black Sea," Hill and Wang, Cambridge University Press, 1995Dimitar Bechev, February 28, 2023, “Sailing Through the Storm: Türkiye's Black Sea Strategy Amidst the Russian-Ukrainian War,” European Union Institute for Security Studies.Dimitar Bechev, February 27, 2023, “Facing tragedy, Turkey mends ties with Greece and Armenia,” Al Jazeera.Dimitar Bechev, April 13, 2022, “Russia, Turkey and the Spectre of Regional Instability,” Al Sharq Strategic Research.Dimitar Bechev, March 30, 2022, “Turkey's Response to the War in Ukraine,” Maple Institute.Thomas de Waal, July 07, 2022, “How Georgia Stumbled on the Road to Europe,” Foreign Policy.Thomas de Waal, June 09, 2022, “Georgia, Europe's Problem Child,” Carnegie Europe.Thomas de Waal, May 10, 2022, “A Fragile Stability in Moldova,” Carnegie Europe.Thomas de Waal, March 03, 2022, “Darkness Looms Over Ukraine's Neighborhood,” Carnegie Europe.Charles King, "The Black Sea: A History," Oxford University Press, 2005.

This event was the launch of Spyros A. Sofos' latest book 'Turkish Politics and ‘The People': Mass Mobilisation and Populism' published by Edinburgh University Press. By analysing Turkish political culture and institutional architecture through archival research and a critical rereading of the historiography of the Turkish state and society, Sofos proposes key conceptual tools to study popular and populist politics and applies them to the Turkish case. Drawing on a diverse body of scholarship including sociology, cultural studies, psychosocial studies, political science and political theory, Turkish Politics and 'The People' explores the transformations of the notion of ‘the people' from the late Ottoman to current Turkish political discourses. Spyros A. Sofos is a political scientist based at the London School of Economics Middle East Centre and is founder and lead editor of openDemocracy's #rethinkingpopulism. His other books include Nation and Identity in Contemporary Europe (1996, Routledge), Tormented by History: Nationalism in Greece and Turkey (2008, Hurst and Oxford University Press), Islam in Europe: Public Spaces and Civic Networks (2013, Palgrave). Bahar Baser is Associate Professor at Durham University's School of Government and International Affairs. Previously, she was Associate Professor at the Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University where she led the "Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation Research Group". Dimitar Bechev is a Russia and East European Studies Affiliate at the School of Global Area Studies, University of Oxford. His research interests are the politics of Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans and Turkey as well as Russian foreign policy.

In this episode, Ryan talks to Dr. Dimitar Bechev about his recent book, "Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West". Dr. Bechev begins by contextualizing how Erdogan came to power, noting the liberalization of the 80s. He then discuses the political landscape in Turkey and critical power centers. The conversation then moves to how Turkey's democracy has been undermined by authoritarianism and whether there is reason for optimism in the upcoming election. The episode concludes with a discussion of Turkey's foreign policy, relationship with the West, and what the future may hold.  

In this episode of the Liberal Europe Podcast, Leszek Jażdżewski (Fundacja Liberté!) welcomes Dimitar Bechev, Lecturer Oxford School of Global & Area Studies and a Visiting Scholar of Carnegie Europe. They talk about the Balkans in the context of the EU enlargement, the current situation in respective potential candidates, opportunities and threats resulting from premature entry into the EU, and the prospects for further European integration. Find out more about the guest: https://ces.fas.harvard.edu/people/002283-dimitar-bechev This podcast is produced by the European Liberal Forum in collaboration with Movimento Liberal Social and Fundacja Liberté!, with the financial support of the European Parliament. Neither the European Parliament nor the European Liberal Forum are responsible for the content or for any use that be made of it.

Reccep Tayyib Erdogan is towering politician. He has dominated Turkey for 20 years and is now being compared to Ataturk as a man who has changed the direction of Turkish society. And he matters not only to Turkey but to the international community more generally partly because of Turkey's geo-strategic position but also because he has the power to influence the future direction of political Islam - so what has he done, what does it signify and is he fearful of being imprisoned if he lost power? Owen Bennett-Jones discusses Erdogan with Dimitar Bechev who has studied the man for his book Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West (Yale University Press, 2022). Owen Bennett-Jones is a freelance journalist and writer. A former BBC correspondent and presenter he has been a resident foreign correspondent in Bucharest, Geneva, Islamabad, Hanoi and Beirut. He is recently wrote a history of the Bhutto dynasty which was published by Yale University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Reccep Tayyib Erdogan is towering politician. He has dominated Turkey for 20 years and is now being compared to Ataturk as a man who has changed the direction of Turkish society. And he matters not only to Turkey but to the international community more generally partly because of Turkey's geo-strategic position but also because he has the power to influence the future direction of political Islam - so what has he done, what does it signify and is he fearful of being imprisoned if he lost power? Owen Bennett-Jones discusses Erdogan with Dimitar Bechev who has studied the man for his book Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West (Yale University Press, 2022). Owen Bennett-Jones is a freelance journalist and writer. A former BBC correspondent and presenter he has been a resident foreign correspondent in Bucharest, Geneva, Islamabad, Hanoi and Beirut. He is recently wrote a history of the Bhutto dynasty which was published by Yale University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Reccep Tayyib Erdogan is towering politician. He has dominated Turkey for 20 years and is now being compared to Ataturk as a man who has changed the direction of Turkish society. And he matters not only to Turkey but to the international community more generally partly because of Turkey's geo-strategic position but also because he has the power to influence the future direction of political Islam - so what has he done, what does it signify and is he fearful of being imprisoned if he lost power? Owen Bennett-Jones discusses Erdogan with Dimitar Bechev who has studied the man for his book Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West (Yale University Press, 2022). Owen Bennett-Jones is a freelance journalist and writer. A former BBC correspondent and presenter he has been a resident foreign correspondent in Bucharest, Geneva, Islamabad, Hanoi and Beirut. He is recently wrote a history of the Bhutto dynasty which was published by Yale University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science

Reccep Tayyib Erdogan is towering politician. He has dominated Turkey for 20 years and is now being compared to Ataturk as a man who has changed the direction of Turkish society. And he matters not only to Turkey but to the international community more generally partly because of Turkey's geo-strategic position but also because he has the power to influence the future direction of political Islam - so what has he done, what does it signify and is he fearful of being imprisoned if he lost power? Owen Bennett-Jones discusses Erdogan with Dimitar Bechev who has studied the man for his book Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West (Yale University Press, 2022). Owen Bennett-Jones is a freelance journalist and writer. A former BBC correspondent and presenter he has been a resident foreign correspondent in Bucharest, Geneva, Islamabad, Hanoi and Beirut. He is recently wrote a history of the Bhutto dynasty which was published by Yale University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/middle-eastern-studies

Reccep Tayyib Erdogan is towering politician. He has dominated Turkey for 20 years and is now being compared to Ataturk as a man who has changed the direction of Turkish society. And he matters not only to Turkey but to the international community more generally partly because of Turkey's geo-strategic position but also because he has the power to influence the future direction of political Islam - so what has he done, what does it signify and is he fearful of being imprisoned if he lost power? Owen Bennett-Jones discusses Erdogan with Dimitar Bechev who has studied the man for his book Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West (Yale University Press, 2022). Owen Bennett-Jones is a freelance journalist and writer. A former BBC correspondent and presenter he has been a resident foreign correspondent in Bucharest, Geneva, Islamabad, Hanoi and Beirut. He is recently wrote a history of the Bhutto dynasty which was published by Yale University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

Reccep Tayyib Erdogan is towering politician. He has dominated Turkey for 20 years and is now being compared to Ataturk as a man who has changed the direction of Turkish society. And he matters not only to Turkey but to the international community more generally partly because of Turkey's geo-strategic position but also because he has the power to influence the future direction of political Islam - so what has he done, what does it signify and is he fearful of being imprisoned if he lost power? Owen Bennett-Jones discusses Erdogan with Dimitar Bechev who has studied the man for his book Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West (Yale University Press, 2022). Owen Bennett-Jones is a freelance journalist and writer. A former BBC correspondent and presenter he has been a resident foreign correspondent in Bucharest, Geneva, Islamabad, Hanoi and Beirut. He is recently wrote a history of the Bhutto dynasty which was published by Yale University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reccep Tayyib Erdogan is towering politician. He has dominated Turkey for 20 years and is now being compared to Ataturk as a man who has changed the direction of Turkish society. And he matters not only to Turkey but to the international community more generally partly because of Turkey's geo-strategic position but also because he has the power to influence the future direction of political Islam - so what has he done, what does it signify and is he fearful of being imprisoned if he lost power? Owen Bennett-Jones discusses Erdogan with Dimitar Bechev who has studied the man for his book Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West (Yale University Press, 2022). Owen Bennett-Jones is a freelance journalist and writer. A former BBC correspondent and presenter he has been a resident foreign correspondent in Bucharest, Geneva, Islamabad, Hanoi and Beirut. He is recently wrote a history of the Bhutto dynasty which was published by Yale University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

Reccep Tayyib Erdogan is towering politician. He has dominated Turkey for 20 years and is now being compared to Ataturk as a man who has changed the direction of Turkish society. And he matters not only to Turkey but to the international community more generally partly because of Turkey's geo-strategic position but also because he has the power to influence the future direction of political Islam - so what has he done, what does it signify and is he fearful of being imprisoned if he lost power? Owen Bennett-Jones discusses Erdogan with Dimitar Bechev who has studied the man for his book Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West (Yale University Press, 2022). Owen Bennett-Jones is a freelance journalist and writer. A former BBC correspondent and presenter he has been a resident foreign correspondent in Bucharest, Geneva, Islamabad, Hanoi and Beirut. He is recently wrote a history of the Bhutto dynasty which was published by Yale University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/eastern-european-studies

Reccep Tayyib Erdogan is towering politician. He has dominated Turkey for 20 years and is now being compared to Ataturk as a man who has changed the direction of Turkish society. And he matters not only to Turkey but to the international community more generally partly because of Turkey's geo-strategic position but also because he has the power to influence the future direction of political Islam - so what has he done, what does it signify and is he fearful of being imprisoned if he lost power? Owen Bennett-Jones discusses Erdogan with Dimitar Bechev who has studied the man for his book Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West (Yale University Press, 2022). Owen Bennett-Jones is a freelance journalist and writer. A former BBC correspondent and presenter he has been a resident foreign correspondent in Bucharest, Geneva, Islamabad, Hanoi and Beirut. He is recently wrote a history of the Bhutto dynasty which was published by Yale University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reccep Tayyib Erdogan is towering politician. He has dominated Turkey for 20 years and is now being compared to Ataturk as a man who has changed the direction of Turkish society. And he matters not only to Turkey but to the international community more generally partly because of Turkey's geo-strategic position but also because he has the power to influence the future direction of political Islam - so what has he done, what does it signify and is he fearful of being imprisoned if he lost power? Owen Bennett-Jones discusses Erdogan with Dimitar Bechev who has studied the man for his book Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West (Yale University Press, 2022). Owen Bennett-Jones is a freelance journalist and writer. A former BBC correspondent and presenter he has been a resident foreign correspondent in Bucharest, Geneva, Islamabad, Hanoi and Beirut. He is recently wrote a history of the Bhutto dynasty which was published by Yale University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dimitar Bechev on “Turkey Under Erdogan: How a Country Turned from Democracy and the West” (Yale University Press). The book gives a neat overview of how the country and President Erdogan came to where they are today, ahead of crucial elections scheduled for next year. Become a member to support Turkey Book Talk. Members get a 35% discount on all Turkey/Ottoman History books published by IB Tauris/Bloomsbury, transcripts of every interview, transcripts of the whole archive, and over 200 reviews covering Turkish and international fiction, history and politics.

The importance of security in the Black Sea has been highlighted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Dimitar Bechev, lecturer at Oxford University and Visiting Fellow at Carnegie Europe, joins Giselle, Dalibor, and Iulia to speak specifically about Turkey and Bulgaria. First, Dimitar explains Turkey's relationship with Russia, NATO, and the US in order to illustrate the many factors behind Erdogan's foreign policy. Last, Dimitar dives into Bulgarian foreign policy, which has traditionally been Russophilic and anti-risk, but has taken a greater stand against Russia. References: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300247886/turkey-under-erdogan/ (Turkey Under Erdogan) by Dimitar Bechev; https://www.politico.eu/article/turkey-between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place-on-russia/ (Turkey, between a rock and a hard place on Russia) by Dimitar Bechev

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In this conversation with RevDem editor Ferenc Laczó regarding contemporary Turkey, Dimitar Bechev discusses how the Justice and Development Party has evolved into a personality cult; how Erdogan pro-active, remilitarized foreign policy has probably reached its limits; how leverage now goes both ways in EU-Turkey relations while Europeanization may also mean a turn to xenophobia; as well as the promising signs of democratic health and political competition.

Bulgaria's parliament on Monday formally approved the country's new centrist-led government in a bid to restore stability, tackle the coronavirus crisis, and spur economic development in the country. Lawmakers voted 134-104 to elect 41-year-old Kiril Petkov as prime minister. Petkov, a Harvard educated entrepreneur, has made transparency in public spending, tackling corruption, and reforms in the judiciary central to his agenda. He also signalled that Bulgaria will end its obstruction of North Macedonia's bid to join the EU once his new government takes office in the coming weeks, a move that would have a broader impact in the Western Balkans. Expert Dimitar Bechev joins The Greek Current to discuss the latest political developments in Bulgaria and look at how they could impact the region.Dimitar Bechev is a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe and a lecturer at Oxford University's School of Global and Area Studies.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Harvard-educated Petkov elected as Bulgaria's prime ministerNew Bulgarian PM pledges U-turn on North Macedonia's EU ambitionsSerbia: A Testament to People PowerGreece records highest daily Covid death toll with 130 fatalities‘Persuasion strategy' for Covid vaccine ‘exhausted'Cyprus OKs COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 5-11FinMin: New support measures to offset price hikesMore support measures being planned to offset price hikes

As Bulgaria prepares for its second election in three months on July 11th, Bulgarians are confronted by a number of political scandals and allegations of corruption. Some of these allegations include accusations against the former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, who has dominated Bulgarian politics over the last decade. Meanwhile, the United States has also upped the pressure on Bulgaria, introducing anti-corruption sanctions against certain high-profile Bulgarian power brokers and entities, while the EU has not taken any steps yet. Expert Dimitar Bechev, a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, joins The Greek Current to discuss what's at stake in this upcoming election in Bulgaria, the various allegations of corruption, US sanctions, and the role of the EU.Dimitar Bechev was quoted in this piece in Politico on the current political scandals in Bulgaria: Bulgaria sinks under wave of pre-election scandals 

Over the past month, Russia has been massing troops, tanks and heavy artillery along its eastern border with Ukraine. These moves are not only raising the prospect of tensions escalating between Ukraine and Russia, but are also setting off alarms in Washington and at NATO headquarters. Amid these increased tensions, Ukraine's President Zelensky visited Turkey's President Erdogan over the weekend in a trip that highlighted Kiev's partnership with Ankara, and shored up Turkish support for Ukraine.Dimitar Bechev, a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council who follows Russia and Turkey, joins The Greek Current to analyze the latest developments and look at what Turkey's show of support to Ukraine means for Turkey-Russia relations.Read Dimitar Bechev's comments in Amberin Zaman's article in Al-Monitor: Turkey, US in rare position of unity over UkraineYou can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here: Russia restricts flights to Turkey as political tensions riseRussia calls U.S. an adversary, warns its warships to avoid CrimeaUkraine to NATO: Act now to prevent war with RussiaUS agencies call for pause in Johnson & Johnson vaccineEU seeking ‘urgent clarification' on Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine delay‘Green passport' scheme for Covid-free EU travel gathers paceEU Governments to Seek Deal on Controversial Covid Passports

This Week in Turkey‘s guest was Dimitar Bechev. Mr. Bechev is a fellow at the Atlantic Council Europe Center and the Institute for Human Sciences Vienna, as well as a visiting researcher at Oxford University. Dr. Bechev has written extensively on the EU’s external relations, the politics and modern history of Turkey and the Balkans, and Russia’s foreign policy. Mr. Bechev evaluated the today and tomorrow of Russia-Turkey relations, in light of the S400 situation, Syria and NATO. Mr. Bechev also assessed the role of democratic values in Turkey’s future relations and how foreign policy and Erdoğan’s domestic popularity align.

Samantha chats with Dr. Dimitar Bechev on the geopolitics of the Balkans and the stratagems of Russia in the region. Dr. Bechev also discusses Russia's relationship with Turkey and Turkey's ties with the US and how these affect the countries nested in the Balkans which have fallen out of US foreign policy priority since the George W. Bush administration. ABOUT THE GUEST https://www.fpri.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2283-dimitar-bechev_160313_171008.jpg Dimitar Bechev is the director of the European Policy Institute, a think-tank based in Sofia, Bulgaria. Previously, he held research fellowships at Harvard University, University of Oxford and the London School of Economics, and headed the Sofia office of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). Dr. Bechev has written extensively on EU's external relations, the politics and modern history of Turkey and the Balkans, and Russia's foreign policy. His book Rival Power: Russia in Southeast Europe (Yale University Press, 2017) explores Russia's geopolitical role in the Balkans, Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey. He is a regular contributor to Al Jazeera, the American Interest, Politico, Foreign Policy, and Open Democracy. Check out Dr. Bechev's book "Rival Power: Russia in Southeastern Europe" https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71pSNH0dlZL.jpg NOTE: This episode was recorded on September 30th, 2020 via Zoom. CREDITS Host/Assistant Producer: Samantha Farmer Co-Producer: Matthew Orr (Connect: facebook.com/orrrmatthew) Co-Producer: Tom Rehnquist (Connect: Twitter @RehnquistTom) Associate Producer: Lera Toropin Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig Assistant Producer: Katherine Birch Assistant Producer: Zach Johnson Associate Producer/Administrator: Kathryn Yegorov-Crate Recording, Editing, and Sound Design: Charlie Harper, Michelle Daniel Music Producer: Charlie Harper (Connect: facebook.com/charlie.harper.1485 Instagram: @charlieharpermusic) www.charlieharpermusic.com (Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Charlie Harper) Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (Connect: facebook.com/mdanielgeraci Instagram: @michelledaniel86) www.msdaniel.com DISCLAIMER: Texas Podcast Network is brought to you by The University of Texas at Austin. Podcasts are produced by faculty members and staffers at UT Austin who work with University Communications to craft content that adheres to journalistic best practices. The University of Texas at Austin offers these podcasts at no charge. Podcasts appearing on the network and this webpage represent the views of the hosts, not of The University of Texas at Austin. https://files.fireside.fm/file/fireside-uploads/images/9/9a59b135-7876-4254-b600-3839b3aa3ab1/P1EKcswq.png Special Guest: Dimitar Bechev.

Your favorite podcast returns from a months-long hiatus to examine the breakdown in Bulgarian-Macedonian relations. We speak to scholar Dimitar Bechev for his perspective on the latest setback for North Macedonia and its EU aspirations. Then, in her first field-report, journalist Una Hajdari reports from Skopje on the origins of Bulgaria's obsession with the identity of North Macedonia's citizens and their language. It's a Christmas miracle -- Sarajevo Calling is back!  Sarajevo Calling is a podcast on East European affairs, focusing in particular on the contemporary politics of the Western Balkans. Hosted by journalist Aleksandar Brezar and political scientist Jasmin Mujanović, produced by Una Hajdari, and with graphics provided by Boris Stapić, Sarajevo Calling posts new episodes every two weeks.Remember to check us out on Twitter, Facebook, Spotify, and TuneIn, while also visiting our Patreon page.News segments courtesy of Euronews. All music used for educational and informative purposes, and rights retained by its respective owners:"Potjera kroz Skopje",  performed by Sevdah Takht, courtesy of Damir Imamović. Copyright of Lampshade Media"Habibi",  performed by Azis. Copyright of Diapason Records"Zajdi zajdi" (trad.),  performed by Goran Bojcevski"Padaj silo i nepravdo",  insert from "The Battle of Neretva""Mila znaj/Bella Ciao" (trad.), performed by Zvonko i drugarite  

Dimitar Bechev is on twitter @DimitarBechev and his most recent book, Rival Power: Russia's Influence in Southeast Europe is available from Amazon UK here | Amazon DE hereIvan Vejvoda  is Head of the Europe's Futures program at IWM where, in cooperation with leading European organisations and think tanks IWM and ERSTE Foundation have joined forces to tackle some of the most crucial topics: nexus of borders and migration, deterioration in rule of law and democracy and European Union's enlargement prospects.The Institute for Human Sciences (IWM) is an independent institute for advanced study in the humanities and social sciences. Since its foundation in 1982, it has promoted intellectual exchange between East and West, between academia and society, and between a variety of disciplines and schools of thought. In this way, the IWM has become a vibrant center of intellectual life in Vienna.The IWM is a community of scholars pursuing advanced research in the humanities and social sciences. For nearly four decades, the Institute has promoted intellectual exchange across disciplines, between academia and society, and among regions of the world. It hosts more than a hundred fellows each year, organizes public exchanges, and publishes books, articles, and digital fora. you can find IWM's website at:https://www.iwm.at/ 

** Support Talk Eastern Europe. Become a Patron at www.patreon.com/TalkEasternEuropeThis episode of Talk Eastern Europe discusses the delicate relationship between two regional powers with ambitions for their neighbourhoods: Russia and Turkey. The two countries, which faced a serious crisis in 2015 after a Russian jet was shot down in Turkish airspace. Since then, both countries have found a common understanding even if their interests are not always aligned. How long can this relationship last? In this episode, Maciek catches up with Dimitar Bechev a research fellow at the Center of Slavic, Eurasian, and East European Studies with the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and a Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council. He is also the author of a recent book titled “Rival Power. Russia’s influence in Southeast Europe”. Maciek and Dimitar pick apart the current state of relations between Russia and Turkey and discuss some challenges to the medium and long term, including the impact of coronavirus on this relationship.Resources:“Turkey and Russia: No Birds of the Same Feather”, Dimitar Bechev, Suat Kınıklıoğlu. SWP Report, May 2020: https://www.swp-berlin.org/10.18449/2020C24/ “Turkey’s Plans to Become a Regional Energy Giant Just Got a Boost”, By: Dimitar Bechev. Foreign Policy. 28 August 2020. https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/08/28/turkeys-plans-to-become-a-regional-energy-giant-just-got-a-boost/Music featured in the podcast: End Titles Extended Version (Romeos Erbe) by Sascha EndeLink: https://filmmusic.io/song/3158-end-titles-extended-version-romeos-erbe-License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Talk Eastern Europe is a member of the EuroPod Network https://www.bullemedia.eu/europodTalk Eastern Europe is produced by Maciej Makulski and Adam Reichardt. The podcast is affiliated with New Eastern Europe. Published by the Jan Nowak-Jezioranski College of Eastern Europe in Wroclaw. Additional funding for this episode came from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the framework of the “Public Diplomacy 2020 – New dimension” grant programme.

The Balkan Circle is a weekly seminar (during the academic year) which features lectures, presentations, exhibits, or open interactive dialogues that focus on any (and all) aspects of historical, political, economic, social and cultural phenomena in the (so-called) Balkans. The seminar is free and open to the public and will be held every Friday from 12:00 pm to 1:15 pm online. Visit https://liberalarts.utexas.edu/slavic/events/balkan-circle.php for more information. ABOUT THE BALKAN CIRCLE SPECIAL GUEST Dimitar Bechev https://www.fpri.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/2283-dimitar-bechev_160313_171008.jpg Dimitar Bechev is the director of the European Policy Institute, a think-tank based in Sofia, Bulgaria. Previously, he held research fellowships at Harvard University, University of Oxford and the London School of Economics, and headed the Sofia office of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). Dr. Bechev has written extensively on EU's external relations, the politics and modern history of Turkey and the Balkans, and Russia's foreign policy. His book Rival Power: Russia in Southeast Europe (Yale University Press, 2017) explores Russia's geopolitical role in the Balkans, Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey. He is a regular contributor to Al Jazeera, the American Interest, Politico, Foreign Policy, and Open Democracy. NOTE: This episode was recorded via Zoom on Friday, September 4th, 2020. CREDITS Balkan Circle organizers: Dr. Mary C. Neuburger and Dr. Kiril Avramov Administrative and Technical Support: Cara Keirstead and Roy Flores Music Producer: Charlie Harper (Connect: facebook.com/charlie.harper.1485 Instagram: @charlieharpermusic) www.charlieharpermusic.com (Additional music by Ketsa, Scott Holmes, John Bartmann, and Kariatida ) Executive Producer/Editor: Michelle Daniel (Connect: facebook.com/mdanielgeraci Instagram: @michelledaniel86) www.msdaniel.com Follow us on social media! Twitter: @SlavXRadio Facebook: /slavxradio Instagram: @slavxradio Visit https://slavxradio.com for more episodes and content. DISCLAIMER: The views expressed on this episode do not necessarily reflect those of the show or the University of Texas at Austin. Special Guests: Dimitar Bechev, Kiril Avramov, and Mary C. Neuburger.

Atlantic Council fellow Dimitar Bechev told Ahval editor David Lepeska that we cannot yet assess the likely impact of Turkey’s gas discovery in the Black Sea, that Turkish President Erdogan appears to have U.S. President Trump wrapped around his finger and that Turkey’s policies in Syria, in halting Syrian President Assad’s offensive and curbing the Kurdish nationalist movement, have been a measured success. 

Turkey, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is seen as one of the pioneers of the populist wave across the world. According to Dimitar Bechev, a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and Ahval contributor, the country could also take the lead in the other way around as it approaches historic crossroads in upcoming years.Ahval's İlhan Tanır spoke with Bechev about the latest paper he co-authored and published by SWP, which discusses the Turkish and Russian models in a context of their relations with the West and with each other.

Turkey, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, is seen as one of the pioneers of the populist wave across the world. According to Dimitar Bechev, a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and Ahval contributor, the country could also take the lead in the other way around as it approaches historic crossroads in upcoming years. Ahval's İlhan Tanır spoke with Bechev about the latest paper he co-authored and published by SWP, which discusses the Turkish and Russian models in a context of their relations with the West and with each other.

The Russian -- Turkish relationship is under strain, after events in Syria have challenged a series of ceasefire agreements the two sides signed to try and jointly manage the civil war. Do tensions in Syria signal an end of Turkish -- Russian cooperation, or is the relationship more complicated than a single crisis? To discuss this issue, Aaron spoke this week with Dimitar Bechev, a research fellow at the center for Eurasian and East European Studies and a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.Please note: The audio quality of this episode was adversely affected by connectivity issues experienced during the recording session. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Dimitar Bechev of the Atlantic Council on the past and present of Turkey-Russia relations, which he describes as "rich in history, ambivalent and rich in nuance, blending fierce competition with cooperation."  Become a Turkey Book Talk member to support the podcast and get full transcripts (in English and Turkish) of every interview upon publication, transcripts of the entire Turkey Book Talk archive, and access to an exclusive 30% discount on over 200 Turkey/Ottoman history titles published by IB Tauris.