In the summer of 1922, the world stands at a crossroads. The First World War has ended, yet its political and territorial aftershocks continue to reverberate across Europe and the Near East. The Treaty of Sèvres — meant to dismantle the Ottoman Empire — has proven impossible to enforce in the face of a resurgent Turkish nationalist movement. Victorious on the battlefield and determined to reclaim sovereignty over their homeland, Turkish leaders now demand a new international settlement. The Allied Powers, exhausted by war and wary of renewed conflict, recognise that a fresh round of negotiations is inevitable.

As the prospect of talks in Lausanne draws nearer, the atmosphere is thick with anticipation and apprehension. Borders remain fluid and contested, ethnic and religious communities grapple with insecurity, and the fate of pivotal waterways promises to ignite diplomatic friction. Around Europe’s capitals, policymakers debate how far to press their claims and how much influence they can still exert in a region transformed by war. In Ankara, the emerging Turkish leadership prepares to defend its hard-won victories on the international stage.

Across all sides, expectations are high yet fragile. The balance of power is shifting, the legacy of the empire is unravelling, and the shape of a new regional order hangs in the balance as nations brace for negotiations that will determine the future of the Eastern Mediterranean.