Samantha chats with Dr. Dimitar Bechev on the geopolitics of the Balkans and the stratagems of Russia in the region. Dr. Bechev also discusses Russia's relationship with Turkey and Turkey's ties with the US and how these affect the countries nested in the Balkans which have fallen out of US foreign policy priority since the George W. Bush administration.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Dimitar Bechev is the director of the European Policy Institute, a think-tank based in Sofia, Bulgaria. Previously, he held research fellowships at Harvard University, University of Oxford and the London School of Economics, and headed the Sofia office of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). Dr. Bechev has written extensively on EU’s external relations, the politics and modern history of Turkey and the Balkans, and Russia’s foreign policy. His book Rival Power: Russia in Southeast Europe (Yale University Press, 2017) explores Russia’s geopolitical role in the Balkans, Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey. He is a regular contributor to Al Jazeera, the American Interest, Politico, Foreign Policy, and Open Democracy.

Check out Dr. Bechev's book "Rival Power: Russia in Southeastern Europe"

NOTE: This episode was recorded on September 30th, 2020 via Zoom.

CREDITS
Host/Assistant Producer: Samantha Farmer
Co-Producer: Matthew Orr (Connect: facebook.com/orrrmatthew)
Co-Producer: Tom Rehnquist (Connect: Twitter @RehnquistTom)
Associate Producer: Lera Toropin
Associate Producer: Cullan Bendig
Assistant Producer: Katherine Birch
Assistant Producer: Zach Johnson
Associate Producer/Administrator: Kathryn Yegorov-Crate
Recording, Editing, and Sound Design: Charlie Harper, Michelle Daniel

Music Producer: Charlie Harper (Connect: facebook.com/charlie.harper.1485 Instagram: @charlieharpermusic) www.charlieharpermusic.com (Main Theme by Charlie Harper and additional background music by Charlie Harper)

Executive Producer & Creator: Michelle Daniel (Connect: facebook.com/mdanielgeraci Instagram: @michelledaniel86) www.msdaniel.com

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Special Guest: Dimitar Bechev.