The 20th Foreign Policy Talks series, which brings together experts, researchers, academics, and journalists to discuss current foreign policy issues, was held online by IstanPol in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Stiftung Türkiye Office on February 12, 2026. The session focused on the rapidly evolving political and security landscape in Syria and its implications for Türkiye and the broader region.

As Syria moves through a new and uncertain phase, shifting power balances, recalibrated U.S. engagement, and emerging regional alignments are reshaping the strategic environment. The discussion examined how these dynamics are redefining Türkiye’s priorities in Syria, particularly regarding border security, the future of the SDF/YPG, and the prevention of renewed instability, while also assessing the integration of Kurdish-led structures into the Syrian state, the governance capacity of the authorities in Damascus, and the durability of recent arrangements in the northeast. Participants further explored Washington’s evolving approach, including the implications of a potential military drawdown, and considered how these developments intersect with Türkiye’s domestic peace agenda and the broader regional roles of actors such as Israel, Iraq, and Gulf states.

Moderated by Riccardo Gasco, IstanPol’s Foreign Policy Program Coordinator, the discussion featured contributions from:

• Amberin Zaman, Chief Correspondent, Al Monitor
• Samir Aita, President, Circle of Arab Economists
• Grace Wermenbol, Senior Visiting Fellow, German Marshall Fund
• Ömer Önhon, Former Turkish Ambassador to Syria