About
Political Analyst | PhD Researcher | Foreign Policy Coordinator at IstanPol
Recent Highlights
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 →
September 4, 2026 — New article: "The Fruit of Patience: How Regional Shifts Ripened Turkey’s Path to Kurdish Reconciliation" (War on the Rocks). Read more →
September 1, 2026 — Quoted in Tagesschau (ARD) on the Mecca Defence Alliance, describing it as "an alignment of interests" rather than a NATO-style pact, and explaining how it complements Turkey's NATO commitments. 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
Sep 16, 2026 — On Türkiye’s notable absence from this year’s State of the European Union address, and why security — not accession — is the more interesting question as the EU builds a new security architecture. View on X →
Sep 16, 2026 — Reading the security signals in the 2026 SOTEU: a European Security Strategy, an Article 4-style consultation mechanism, a counter-hybrid playbook and a possible European Security Council. View on X →
Sep 14, 2026 — Spoke with LA NACION about the Mecca Pact between Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan — its strategic drivers and what it means for regional security. View on X →