Recent Highlights
October 5, 2026 — Quoted in The New Arab on Yemen's divided anti-Houthi coalition, and why expectations of automatic Turkish military support under the Mecca defence pact are inflated. Read more →
September 22, 2026 — Guest on War on the Rocks' "The Insider" podcast, discussing with Samuele Abrami the narrowing window for Turkish-Kurdish reconciliation. Read more →
September 13, 2026 — Quoted in LA NACION on the "Pact of Mecca" defence agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, and how each country weighs Israel's role in the region. Read more →
See all media mentions → · See all articles →
Biography
Riccardo Gasco is a political analyst and PhD Researcher in International Relations at the University of Bologna. Based in Istanbul since 2019, he serves as Foreign Policy Program Coordinator at
IstanPol, a leading Istanbul-based think tank, and advises governmental, institutional, and private-sector clients on Turkish foreign policy, regional security, and political risk in the Eastern Mediterranean. He has previously held research fellowships at the Istanbul Policy Center (IPC) and Sabanci University, working on Turkish foreign policy with a focus on Turkiye-Italy and EU relations.
Riccardo's research focuses on Turkiye's foreign policy, its strategic positioning between NATO and Russia, and the broader behavior of emerging middle powers in a shifting global order. He holds degrees in International Relations and Diplomatic Sciences from the University of Genoa and SOAS, University of London.
He frequently contributes analysis to Italian, Turkish, and international media, offering commentary on Turkiye's domestic politics, regional dynamics in the Middle East, and its complex relationships with Europe, the United States, China, and Russia. His publications cover topics such as Turkiye-China relations, the Kurdish issue, Turkish defense policy, EU-Turkiye relations, and broader questions of transatlantic diplomacy and strategic autonomy.
Latest on X
Oct 8, 2026 — Welcomes Hakan Fidan’s defensive framing of the Mecca defence pact as Türkiye prepares to submit it to parliament, and flags how it reflects shifting Middle East alliances. View on X →
Oct 6, 2026 — Shares his comments to The New Arab on the Houthi escalation and how Turkey would react to the announced troop deployment under the Mecca pact. View on X →
Oct 6, 2026 — Notes that Turkish, Saudi and Pakistani officials met under the Mecca Defence Alliance as Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia intensify. View on X →
Follow on X →