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Turkey

Turkey

July 7, 2026

Ankara 6:45 pm

27°C

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) welcomes US President Donald Trump (R) upon his arrival on Air Force One at Etimesgut Air Base near Ankara, on July 7, 2026, before attending the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Trump's F-35 push for Turkey runs into CAATSA — and Israel

Israel fears that Washington may be shifting its strategic options toward Turkey as the two rivals push for regional hegemony.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney (R) is welcomed by Turkey's Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek upon arrival at Esenboga Airport to attend the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit in Ankara on July 7, 2026. (Photo by Muhammed Abdullah Kurtar / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Canada, Turkey launch free trade talks on NATO summit sidelines

Trade between the two countries stood at $4.3 billion in 2025, and officials from both countries will meet to lay the groundwork for the first FTA negotiations.

Trump Erdogan

Breaking | Last Updated: July 7, 2026, 11:01 am

Trump says US will lift CAATSA sanctions on Turkey, consider F-35 sale

The US president has announced that sanctions on Turkey over its purchase of Russian missile batteries will be lifted.

sampt-t

Analysis

As it hosts NATO, Turkey eyes France's SAMP/T system, F-35 progress with Trump

Turkey is set to host NATO leaders as doubts over US commitment linger prompting Ankara to seeks its own defense deals with Paris and Washington.

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Latest News

Israel, Greece conduct military drills ahead of NATO summit in Turkey

ABIR SULTAN / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

In Libya, maritime dispute could complicate Turkey’s backing of US unity push

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech after a signing ceremony with Libyan Government of National Unity prime minister at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, on April 12, 2021.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Culture

Turkish standup comic detained after act calling Erdogan 'dictator' goes viral

A screenshot of one of Deniz Goktas' standup routines posted to YouTube.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Ezgi Akin

Associate Editor (Turkey)

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) welcomes Poland's President Andrzej Duda (R) ahead of their meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, on May 24, 2021.

With ties with West strained, Turkey gets lifeline from Poland

Drawing on his rapport with the Polish president and a landmark drone deal with Warsaw, Erdogan seems to be aiming at two goals — strengthening his hand in NATO and having a close ally within the European Union.

A photograph taken on May 26, 2021 in Istanbul shows on a mobile phone Sedat Peker speaking on his youtube channel.

Arrest warrant issued for exiled mobster who promises to 'ruin' Turkish officials

Turkish prosecutors issued an arrest warrant Thursday for exiled mobster Sedat Peker, whose video exposes have implicated high-level officials and left ruling party insiders struggling to respond.

Derya Yanik

Why women are calling for Turkey's only female cabinet member to resign

The Turkish minister of family and social affairs' description of a domestic violence uptick as “tolerable” is seen as emblematic of government efforts to underestimate gender-based violence and femicides in the country.

Erdogan speaks at parliament

Erdogan swats aside mobster, stands behind interior minister

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan backs his interior minister, who has been facing allegations made by a Turkish mobster living abroad, and says he will not call early elections.

Leader of Turkey's Iyi (Good) Party and presidential candidate Meral Aksener arrives at Bayrampasa to address supporters during a rally on June 21, 2018, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey's opposition faces upsurge of physical attacks as Erdogan gloats

Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s open endorsement of a mob attack on a prominent opposition leader indicates the extent of immunity for assaults on opposition in Turkey.

Members of the Panamanian National Aeronaval Service of Panama (SENAN) organize packages of seized drugs in Panama City on May 18, 2109. The SENAN seized 1.5 tons of cocaine inside a container that had Turkey as its final destination at the Cristobal container port in Colon.

Mobster’s claims turn spotlight to new cocaine route via Turkey

A spree of rattling allegations by a Turkish mobster has brought into focus the increase in cocaine trafficking in Turkey and its domestic and international ramifications.

Turkey's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu speech during a meeting to discuss cooperation on migration management in Ankara, Turkey, October 3, 2019.

Top Turkish minister fights corruption allegations from exiled mafia boss

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said he would not resign and defended his record against allegations by an exiled mafia boss whose wide-spanning YouTube confessions have gripped Turkish politics.

Senior US State Department official Joey Hood delivers a statement in Tripoli during a visit to Libya, in a show of support for the country's transitional government, May 18, 2021.

Turkey touts assassination of top PKK militant as retribution to US

The Turkish media has trumpeted the killing of a high-ranking PKK militant by Turkish security forces in northern Iraq as a reprisal of the US support of the Syrian Kurdish groups, while Turkey seems to be a major blockade before Syrian Kurds’ desire for political recognition.

The Saudi Arabia's consulate is cordoned off by Turkish police in Istanbul on Oct. 15, 2018.

Turkish police detain top Islamic State leader in Istanbul

A senior Islamic State operative has been arrested in Istanbul following a tip from US intelligence services.

WhatsApp denies privacy update will not apply in Turkey

There were reports in Turkish media that Facebook-owned messaging service's controversial privacy update, following a backlash, would not come to Turkey.

Soylu and Erdogan

Erdogan in hot spot as Turks question 'mafiazation' of politics

Erdogan risks a major political setback unless he manages to contain an unprecedented scandal sparked by a mobster claiming close links with government figures.

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Turkish court begins retrial of philanthropist Osman Kavala

Businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala, who has remained in prison without a conviction since 2017, was denied release on Friday.