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07 Jan 26

#SecureBlackSea Fieldwork Completed in Georgia: Key Insights from Tbilisi

#SecureBlackSea team conducted field research in Tbilisi, meeting with officials from the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, members of parliament, security practitioners, civil society experts, and academic specialists. Interviews underscored Georgia’s strong Euro-Atlantic orientation, its NATO membership aspirations, and its perception of Russia as the primary security threat. Participants highlighted the…
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07 Jan 26

‘The Role of the Defence Industry and the Evolving Technologies on Black Sea Security and Policymaking’ Webinar was held on the 9th of December 2025.

‘The Role of the Defence Industry and the Evolving Technologies on Black Sea Security and Policymaking’ Webinar was held on the 9th of December 2025. This webinar marked the third session of the #SecureBlackSea project and examined evolving security dynamics, sources of instability, and opportunities for enhanced regional cooperation. Particular…
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07 Jan 26

SecureBlackSea Fieldwork Completed in Azerbaijan: Key Insights from Baku

#SecureBlackSea project team has successfully concluded its fieldwork in Azerbaijan, engaging with senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives of the Azerbaijani Embassy, security analysts, academics, researchers, and regional policy experts in Baku. These in-depth interviews provided essential insights into Azerbaijan’s strategic priorities within the Wider Black Sea Region. Respondents…
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07 Jan 26

SecureBlackSea Fieldwork Completed in Bulgaria: Key Insights from Sofia

#SecureBlackSea’s fieldwork in Sofia included interviews with Bulgarian diplomatic officials, defence experts, policy analysts, and scholars specialising in Black Sea affairs. Stakeholders emphasised Bulgaria’s dual role as both an EU and NATO member, highlighting the importance of alliance cohesion in responding to regional instability. Interviewees identified several key threats: Russia’s military…
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V. Mert Nacar

V. Mert Nacar graduated from the English-taught Department of Political Science and International Relations at Istanbul University in 2025. He is concurrently pursuing a BSc in International Relations at the London School of Economics and a thesis-based M.A. in Global Affairs at Bahçeşehir University. His academic work focuses on the…
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Cem Savaş

Cem Savaş is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and International Relations (French track) at Yeditepe University in Istanbul, Türkiye. He received his BA in International Relations from Galatasaray University in 2008 and an MA in Geopolitics from the University of Paris VIII, before pursuing graduate research…
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Ethem İlbiz

Dr. Ethem Ilbiz is a Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for Policing and Security, in University of South Wales, specializing in disruptive technologies, cybercrime, public-private partnerships, Turkish politics, and counter-terrorism. His research focuses on the transaction costs of online platforms as innovative public-private partnership models and employs advanced…
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Bahar Rumelili

I am a Professor of International Relations and Jean Monnet Chair at Koç University, Istanbul. My primary research areas are international relation theory and European studies. My research has made theoretical and empirical contributions to IR literatures on Self/Other relations, liminality, European identity, European foreign policy, ontological security, conflict resolution,…
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Vuslat Nur Şahin Temel

Vuslat Nur Şahin Temel, Assistant Professor at the Social Sciences University of Ankara, Institute for Area Studies, Asian Studies Department. She earned her Ph.D. from Waseda University (Tokyo, Japan) in 2023, with a dissertation titled “Japan’s Contributions to Non-Traditional Security in Asia: An Analysis within the Framework of Expanded Asian…
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Zeynep Şartepe

Zeynep Şartepe is an international relations researcher interested in emerging and disruptive technologies and in how science and technology intersect with politics, power, and security. She has worked extensively on the politics of drone technology in Turkey and the interface between dual-use technologies and policymaking. She holds a Ph.D. degree…
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