GCC Turkey Defense, Economic, and Cultural Partnerships: A Strategic Overview

Organized in partnership with the SETA Foundation in Istanbul, Turkey, this workshop, “GCC-Turkey Defense, Economic, and Cultural Partnerships: A Strategic Overview,” will explore the evolving landscape of relations between Ankara and the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.

Amid a period of deepening ties, the workshop will assess the strategic opportunities and challenges shaping GCC-Turkey cooperation across the defense, economic, and cultural sectors. Discussions will focus on key areas of alignment and friction, regional power dynamics, and shared interests in a rapidly shifting geopolitical environment.

The workshop will also consider how President Trump’s second term may influence the trajectory of Turkish-Gulf relations, with implications for regional stability, economic integration, and security cooperation.