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Sinan Ülgen
Senior Fellow, Carnegie Europe

about

Sinan Ülgen is a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe in Brussels, where his research focuses on Turkish foreign policy, transatlantic relations, and international trade policy.

He is a founding partner of Istanbul Economics, a Turkish consulting firm that specializes in public and regulatory affairs, and chairman of the Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, an independent think tank in Istanbul.

Ülgen has served in the Turkish Foreign Service in several capacities: in Ankara on the United Nations desk (1990–1992); in Brussels at the Turkish Permanent Delegation to the European Union (1992–1996); and at the Turkish embassy in Tripoli (1996).

He is a regular contributor to Turkish dailies, and his opinion pieces have been published in the International New York Times, the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Le Figaro. He was a member of the international security experts group set up by former NATO secretary general Anders Fogh Rasmussen and tasked with preparing a report on the transatlantic relationship in advance of NATO’s September 2014 summit.

Ülgen is the author of Rewiring Globalisation (Carnegie Europe, 2022), Governing Cyberspace: A Road Map for Transatlantic Leadership (Carnegie Europe, 2016), Handbook of EU Negotiations (Bilgi University Press, 2005), and The European Transformation of Modern Turkey with Kemal Derviş (Centre for European Policy Studies, 2004).

education
MA, College of Europe, BS, University of Virginia 
languages
English, French, Turkish

All work from Sinan Ülgen

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254 Results
police and EMTs standing around outside a gate
commentary
Ankara’s Surprising Offer to the Imprisoned PKK Leader

But what are the chances of its success, especially amid new terrorism threats?

· October 24, 2024
Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan give a joint press conference at the Kremlin in Moscow on April 8, 2019.
article
Türkiye and Russia: An Unequal Partnership

The multifaceted nature of Turkish-Russian relations is tied to Türkiye’s changing relations with the West and its strategic maneuvers for greater autonomy.

· October 24, 2024
event
Türkiye, the EU, and Transatlantic Relations in a New Global Setting
October 22, 2024

In a series of four new cross-cutting studies, Carnegie scholars and affiliates examine Türkiye’s policy orientations and their impact on the United States, and by extension, the transatlantic partnership.

U Council President Charles Michel (R) arrives with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the EU headquarters in Brussels on March 9, 2020.
paper
Strategic Autonomy as a Dynamic of Convergence in Türkiye-EU Relations

Türkiye’s foreign policy has been deemed by analysts as a “re-orientation” and rupture with the country’s diplomatic past.

· October 22, 2024
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is greeted by China's President Xi Jinping (R) before the G20 leaders' family photo in Hangzhou on September 4, 2016.
paper
Transatlantic Policies on China: Is There a Role for Türkiye?

Türkiye is an important transatlantic actor in Sino-Western competition. It can add value to Western efforts aimed at synchronizing policies toward a rising China. And yet, at present, Ankara’s policies on China are not harmonized with those of its partners in the West.

· October 17, 2024
In The Media
in the media
Turkey’s Instagram Spat Shows the Limits of Global Content Governance

Instagram’s suspension in Turkey reflects how platforms’ content governance is shaped by a Western worldview.

· August 13, 2024
Financial Times
event
Assad’s Return: Regional Changes and Future Outlook
August 8, 2024

Join us for an in-depth discussion on Syria’s gradual normalization with countries in the Middle East and its reinstatement in the League of Arab States in May 2023, a significant step that signals a potential shift in Middle Eastern dynamics and regional security architecture. The normalization process began in 2018 when the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain reopened their embassies in Damascus, after Syria had been suspended from the Arab League in 2011 due to its brutal crackdown on protesters. Recently, Türkiye has also shown interest in normalizing relations with Syria, driven by concerns over Kurdish influence in northern Syria and the refugee crisis. The panel will evaluate the normalization process to date, examine the regime's willingness and capability to deliver on its promises, and assess whether the initial motivations of Arab states for normalization have been met. European and U.S. reactions have generally remained more cautious, emphasizing that normalization should be contingent on tangible political reforms by the Assad regime and adherence to human rights standards.

Against this backdrop of developments, the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center is hosting a virtual panel discussion on August 8, at 5:00 PM Beirut Time/ 10:00 AM EDT. The event will feature Sinan Ulgen, Sawsan Abou Zainedin, Abdullah Baabood, and Maria Luisa Fantappiè, and will be moderated by Armenak Tokmajyan.

The discussion will be held in English. Viewers may submit their questions to the panelists using the live chat feature on Facebook and YouTube.

For more information, please contact Najwa Yassine at najwa.yassine@carnegie-mec.org.

In The Media
in the media
Turkey’s Triumphant Opposition

With the Turkish opposition’s stunning electoral upset on Sunday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party are finally reaping the consequences of ill-considered macroeconomic policies. But the real winner of these critical local elections may be Turkish democracy.

· April 3, 2024
Project Syndicate
podcast
Will 2024 Be Turkey’s Turning Point?

Marc Pierini and Sinan Ülgen analyze the lead-up to the Turkish municipal elections in March 2024, the sustainability of Ankara’s balancing act between Russia and the West, and the future of Turkey’s relations with Brussels and Washington.

· February 14, 2024
In The Media
in the media
Europe Needs a New Framework for Türkiye

Regardless of whether Türkiye can ever become an EU member, fostering cooperation over rivalry is beneficial for both sides. Brussels should redefine its ties with Ankara and revitalize the Western alliance for tackling regional and global challenges.

· November 20, 2023
The Financial Times