In this episode of OrionTalks, Broderick McDonald and Guy Fiennes join host Suat Cubukcu to discuss the Wagner Group’s expanding relations in the Sahel region and its potential impact on the security and stability of the region. They delve into the specific roles undertaken by the Wagner Group, examining their
The “rise of China” in the past three decades has seen the country’s influence increase in virtually all corners of the world. While China’s geopolitical sway is most evident in its “near abroad,” such as in Central, South, and East Asia, as well in the maritime domain in the South
With its primary mission of protecting Turkey’s sovereignty and promoting peace in the region, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) plays a crucial role in national defense and humanitarian aid. Nevertheless, recent incidents have raised questions about its effectiveness in carrying out these tasks. After the attempted coup on July 15,
Since 2001, the role and efficacy of military drones in modern operations have been discussed and broadly publicized by the media, scholars, and military personnel. The wide employment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in recent conflicts such as the Western Libya military campaign of the Second Libyan Civil War (2019–2020),
In this edition of OrionTalks, host Suat Cubukcu welcomes Federico Donelli, an assistant professor of International Relations at the University of Trieste and the author of the book, “Turkey in Africa: Turkey’s Strategic Involvement in Sub-Saharan Africa.” The conversation delves into Turkey’s growing military and economic relationships with Africa, the
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China, is an island country that has been independent from the People’s Republic of China since 1949 and is a sui generis political entity. It is not a sovereign state based on the standards of the UN. Although many countries maintain bilateral relations with Taiwan,
In this episode of OrionTalks, join host Suat Cubukcu as he sits down with Dr. Daisy Muibu to delve into the escalating violence in Somalia by al-Shabaab and the efforts to counter the Salafi-Jihadist group. Dr. Muibu, an expert on terrorism and domestic security in East Africa, shares her insights
The NATO 2022 Strategic Concept, which was adopted at the NATO summit held in Madrid on June 29-30, 2022, is intended to guide NATO’s activities for the next 10 years. The document describes not only NATO’s enduring purpose and character but also its core security missions, the potential difficulties and
In the war in Ukraine, which has dragged on for four months now, the deployment of military drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) was expected to be a game changer. The reality, however, has not lived up to the promise—for either side in the conflict. Both Ukraine and Russia have
In this episode, Ambassador Jonathan M. Winer discusses the increasing tension between Libya’s two competing governments and argues the impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in conflict. He evaluates the roles of external military powers and the proxies fighting in the region and emphasizes how their involvement jeopardizes the
NATO membership for Sweden and Finland undoubtedly has the power to change the security architecture in Europe. Often overlooked, however, are the potentially significant consequences in a much different region—the Arctic. Inclusion of the Nordic states in the NATO alliance would mean that all members of the Arctic Council—except Russia—will
The efforts by Turkey to block Sweden and Finland from becoming a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have led to confusion and frustration within the alliance. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced Turkey’s opposition to NATO expansion, and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) followed with similar remarks.
