Turkey, EU and Russia triangle with Elif Menderes

How does Turkey navigate its strategic balancing act between Russia and the EU? Turkey stands at a geopolitical crossroads between Moscow’s influence, Brussels’ expectations, and its own shifting ambitions. In this episode, we dive into how Turkey manages its complex relationships with both Russia and the European Union, what “strategic autonomy” really means, and how domestic politics play into global positioning. To unpack this complex dynamic, Ricardo Silvestre (Movimento Liberal Social) is joined by Elif Menderes, Program Manager at the Friedrich Naumann Foundation and a specialist in political communication. They discuss her chapter in the ELF publication Towards a New Iron Curtain, titled 'Türkiye's Perspective on the Resurgence of the Iron Curtain: Balancing Relations with Russia and the European Union'.  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.