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Turkey

July 9, 2026

Ankara 1:03 am

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Trump 'undecided' on Turkey's F-35s as Congress seeks answers on S-400

Top Democratic lawmakers say the ball is in Ankara’s court on rejoining the US-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, but suggest that Turkey offshoring its Russian-made S-400 system won’t be enough.

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (R) shakes hands with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian during his visit in Yerevan on July 19, 2025. (Photo by KAREN MINASYAN / AFP) (Photo by KAREN MINASYAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Feature

Armenia's Pashinyan keeps Iran close while wooing Trump, Turkey and Azerbaijan

As Yerevan pursues normalization with Turkey and Azerbaijan and backs a US-led transport corridor, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is working to reassure an increasingly assertive Iran that its interests won't be threatened.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (not shown) for bilateral talks at Beştepe Presidential Compound during the NATO Summit on July 08, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Trump declares MoU with Iran 'over' as Hegseth cancels trip to Israel

Trump said diplomacy with Tehran was “a waste of time” after renewed attacks around Hormuz, as US defense chief reportedly cancels Israel visit.

Latest News

Explainer

Why Trump bid to lift CAATSA sanctions on Turkey faces complicated path

US President Donald Trump walks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a state arrival ceremony at the Bestepe Presidential Complex for the annual NATO Summit on July 7, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey.

Analysis

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

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)

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

Canada, Turkey launch free trade talks on NATO summit sidelines

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)

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 demonstrator holds a placard during a rally in Milan on the sixth day of the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement, October 12, 2023.

Turkey says 'intensive contacts' underway to free Israel's hostages with Hamas

The Turkish president said his government, which has channels to both Hamas and Israel, is seeking the release of hostages held in Gaza, but hinted at Western obstacles.

A view of the sign that reads "Caution: mines" on the beach on April 25, 2022, in Odesa, Ukraine.

Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria announce mechanism to clear mines in Black Sea

The joint mechanism between Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania comes after the British government said Russia might use sea mines to deter Kyiv from exporting its grain.

Turkish President and the leader of the Justice and Development (AK) Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during his party's group meeting at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara, Turkiye on October 11, 2023. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Gaza war tests fragile Israel-Turkey rapprochement as Erdogan ups rhetoric

Seen once as a champion for the Palestinians, Erdogan has lambasted the Israeli airstrikes in Gaza even as his government has tried to mend ties with Israel.

Ezgi Akin

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

DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images

Syrian Kurds accuse Turkey of war crimes as Erdogan vows escalation

Syria’s Kurds say Turkish forces are committing war crimes as Erdogan escalates against the US-Allied Syrian Democratic Forces.

DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey’s Erdogan says ‘first phase’ of Syria operation has concluded

The Turkish president also said the first phase of Turkey’s ongoing operations against outlawed Kurdish militants and dominant Syrian Kurdish groups was concluded.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a protest rally against the recent killings of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza-Israel border and the US Embassy move to Jerusalem, in Istanbul, May 18, 2018.

Turkey's Erdogan strikes moderate stance as Israel-Hamas war rages

Turkey's Erdogan is striking a neutral stance in the Gaza conflict, avoiding incendiary rhetoric that would derail his charm offensive with the West and offering to mediate between Israel and Hamas.

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and her Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan shake hands at the end of a joint press conference following their talks in Yerevan on October 3, 2023. (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD / AFP) (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

As Armenia's ties strain with Turkey, France pushes EU to stand with Yerevan

France has positioned itself strictly on Armenia’s side on the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, but can it avoid generating another crisis with Turkey?

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Smoke billows from the Babasi oil facility in the countryside of al-Qahtaniya in Syria's Kurdish-controlled northeastern Hasakeh province on October 6, 2023 following a Turkish strike. (Photo by Delil souleiman / AFP) / "The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by Delil souleiman has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [BABASI] instead of [BASBASI]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your serve

Turkey escalates airstrikes in Syria, but will it cross US, Russia red lines?

The likelihood of a fresh Turkish ground offensive in northern Syria appears to weaken after the unprecedented shooting down of a Turkish drone by the United States.

- A man prepares to ride a motorcycle close to a fire raging at the Zarba oil facility in al-Qahtaniyah in northeastern Syria close to the Turkish border on October 5, 2023. Turkish strikes on October 5 on the Kurdish-controlled region of Hasakeh in northeastern Syria hit a car, killing two people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, after Ankara had threatened raids in retaliation for a bomb attack. In another strike, "Turkish drones targeted a factory north of Hasakeh, injuring three workers", s

Turkey expands strikes as Fidan, Blinken discuss deconfliction, 'terrorist threats'

The US readout of a call between the top US and Turkish diplomats stressed the two countries share a common objective of defeating terror.

A man walks close to a fire raging at the Zarba oil facility in al-Qahtaniyah in northeastern Syria close to the Turkish border on October 5, 2023. Turkish strikes on October 5 on the Kurdish-controlled region of Hasakeh in northeastern Syria hit a car, killing two people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, after Ankara had threatened raids in retaliation for a bomb attack. In another strike, "Turkish drones targeted a factory north of Hasakeh, injuring three workers", said Farhad Shami, the spok

US fails to deter Turkey's bombardment of Syria's Kurdish enclave

Turkey continued to bomb infrastructure in Syria’s Kurdish-controlled region after a US F-16 shot down a drone that encroached within half a kilometer of a US base.

Media film and photograph the Abdulhamid Han drill ship, the fourth built by Turkey, in Mersin on August 9, 2022 before it leaves for gas exploration to an undisputed area in the Mediterranean Sea, in south of the city of Gazipasa. - Turkey on August 9, 2022 sent its newest drill ship on the first eastern Mediterranean energy exploration mission in nearly two years. The search for natural gas in energy-rich waters around the divided island of Cyprus has turned into an irritant in Turkey's ties with the Euro

Turkey’s energy minister to visit Israel as talks advance on gas transfers to Europe

The Turkish energy minister says his country’s priority is to bring Israeli gas to Turkey.

DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images

US downs Turkish drone as Turkey bombs infrastructure in Syria’s Kurdish zone

The reports came as Turkish forces pounded strategic economic installations today in the Kurdish-run zone, including oil installations and power stations.