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Turkey

Turkey

April 29, 2026

Ankara 4:29 am

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Cadets of the Saiqa Force (Special Forces) of the self-styled Libyan National Army affiliated with eastern strongman Khalifa Hifter take part in a graduation ceremony in tribute to the force's late commander, Wanis Bukhamada, in the eastern city of Benghazi, on Jan. 20, 2022.

In first, Libya’s rival armies to join drill in Turkey: What to know

The move follows the first joint exercise inside Libya amid renewed international efforts to unify the country.

Turkey's submarines and fast-attack craft ships participate in the live-fire phase of the Blue Homeland-2026 (Mavi Vatan) tactical military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in Antalya on April 9, 2026.

Turkey’s military spending jumps to $30B, leads Mideast growth in 2025

Newly released data shows Ankara’s military spending hit $30 billion, while Saudi Arabia remained the region’s top spender and Israel’s outlays declined in 2025.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the margins of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, on April 17, 2026.

Analysis

Why Saudi Arabia, Egypt are wary of Turkey’s proposed 4-way defense pact with Pakistan

The proposed framework faces major hurdles and fault lines, ranging from NATO constraints to Israeli opposition and weak military integration.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

CORLU, TURKEY- MARCH 2: A B model of Bayraktar AKINCI TİHA (Assault Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in the sky on March 2, 2022 in Corlu, Turkey. (Photo by Baykar Press Office/dia images via Getty Images)

Turkey’s Baykar tests K2 swarm kamikaze drones for first time: What to know

Baykar tested its K2 and new loitering drones, featuring AI-driven swarm capabilities and the ability to operate under GPS jamming.

Latest News

Trump envoy Barrack’s embrace of 'strong leaders' sparks fury in Turkey

US Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack attends a meeting with President Donald Trump and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office at the White House on Sept. 25, 2025, in Washington, DC.

How Syria's border opening with Iraq redefines Turkey-Kurd balance

Members of Iraq's security forces stand guard on the the al-Rabia border crossing with Syria on April 20, 2026.

Analysis

Italy’s TB3 drone deal signals turn toward Turkey amid US-NATO tensions

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shake hands during the press conference following their meeting at Villa Doria Pamphilj, on April 29, 2025, in Rome, Italy.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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

A Lebanese woman looks at graffiti on a smashed glass facade in the heart of the capital Beirut on October 25, 2019 as anti-corruption demonstrators cut off major roads across the country for a ninth day, pledging to carry on with their protests despite the president offering to meet their representatives. - The entire political class has been targeted in days of unprecedented street demos that have dominated city centres and closed banks, schools and universities across Lebanon. (Photo by ANWAR AMRO / AFP)

Mideast corruption rankings: UAE least corrupt, Lebanon & Iran close to bottom

Arab states’ average corruption score dropped to an all-time low in 2023, as did Turkey’s, the corruption index shows.

Nuland says Turkey can return to F-35 consortium if S-400 issue resolved

The visit to Turkey by the US State Department's No. 2 comes as another signal of the burgeoning positive momentum in Washington-Ankara ties after Turkey approved Sweden’s membership in NATO.

The US Treasury Department building is seen in Washington, DC, January 19, 2023, following an announcement by the US Treasury that it had begun taking measures Thursday to prevent a default on government debt, as Congress heads towards a high-stakes clash between Democrats and Republicans over raising the borrowing limit. - The world's biggest economy could face severe disruption with Republicans threatening to refuse the usual annual rubber stamping of a rise in the legal borrowing limit, and this could pu

US Treasury sanctions ISIS facilitators in Egypt, Turkey

The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on a pair of cybersecurity experts in Egypt and a Turkey-based individual involved in transferring funds to individuals associated with the Islamic State.

Turkey’s parliament ejects jailed lawmaker Can Atalay, defying top court

With the ejection, lawmakers from the Turkish president’s ruling coalition unprecedentedly defied the country’s highest court.

OZAN KOSE/Afp/AFP via Getty Images

What does ISIS' church attack in Turkey say about rise of Tajikistani militants?

The shooting at a church in Istanbul marks the first Islamic State attack in Turkey since 2017 as the extremist offshoot ISIS-K seeks to expand.

TOPSHOT - Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks with US President Joe Biden at the start of the first plenary session of the NATO summit at the Ifema congress centre in Madrid, on June 29, 2022. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP) (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)

Can Turkey, US finally clean the slate after Sweden’s NATO ratification?

Ankara’s ratification of Stockholm’s NATO bid creates new opportunities for US-Turkish relations.

An export train to Russia and China leaves Ankara station, Jan. 29, 2021.

As Turkey, Azerbaijan advance Zangezur Corridor, will Armenia play ball?

The Zangezur transport corridor is set to help link Europe and China later this year, but Armenian resistance remains an issue.

A man walks past a US Air Force (USAF) General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighter aircraft during the 2023 Dubai Airshow at Dubai World Central - Al-Maktoum International Airport in Dubai on November 13, 2023. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)

State Department to notify Congress of Turkey’s F-16 sale: sources

Sources told Al-Monitor that the State Department will formally notify Congress of the pending F-16 sale as soon as today.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey welcomes Biden’s F-16 letter to Congress, expects 'positive' conclusion

Following its ratification of Sweden’s membership in NATO, Ankara has turned to the Biden administration for progress on the F-16 sale.

Turkey inflation 1

Turkey’s Central Bank raises interest rates to 45%

A pause in hikes will follow, ahead of upcoming local elections in March, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is looking to regain control of key cities.

While hosting Iran’s Raisi, Turkey’s Erdogan avoids harsh criticism of Israel

Erdogan's measured tone on Israel comes in midst of US-Turkey rapprochement following Ankara's ratification of Sweden's entry into NATO this week.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan shakes hands with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during a meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 17, 2022.

Iran's Raisi makes first visit to Turkey seeking to close gap on Gaza, Zangezur

Apart from economic ties, the Gaza war is expected to be in focus, on which the two sides may share public rhetoric but diverge deeply when it comes to policy and interests.