Turkey - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Turkey

Turkey

July 9, 2026

Ankara 9:42 am

23°C

Getty Images

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

This photograph shows paintings by Ankara Metropolitan Municipality's artists bearing Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Hero or villain? Disney ignites fury with ill-fated series on Turkey’s revered Ataturk

Disney is thought to have caved to pressure from the US-based Armenian lobby to cancel the biopic on the founder of the Turkish Republic.

Turkish exchange

Foreign investors buy $179m in Turkey's stocks amid Erdogan's economic reset

Foreign investors bought $179 million in local equities last week, an eighth straight week of inflows, according to the latest data from the Turkish Central Bank.

Grain is loaded aboard a cargo ship at the Azov Sea Port, Rostov region, on July 22, 2023. On July 21, 2023, Russia said that it understood the concerns African nations may have after Moscow left the Ukrainian grain deal, promising to ensure deliveries to countries in need. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP) (Photo by STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images)

Blinken to Russia: Stop using food as 'weapon of war' in Ukraine, Syria

Wheat prices in the Middle East have risen since Russia's abandonment of the grain deal last month.

Turkey inflation

Turkey’s annual inflation hits nearly 50% in July

The spike marks the end of an eight-month downtrend in annual consumer prices as Turkey grapples with one of its worst cost-of-living crises.

The TQ Samsun bulk carrier transits the Bosporus during the early morning hours on July 18, 2023, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey's Erdogan makes no headway in getting Russia back to Ukraine grain deal 

Turkey’s Erdogan says he will continue diplomacy to bring Putin back to the grain deal and announces Putin will come to Turkey, but gives no timeframe.

pumpjacks in Syria

Canadian energy firm to develop major oil field in Turkey’s Kurdish southeast

A Canadian firm will help Turkey develop its new oil field in Sirnak province.

This picture taken on March 28, 2021 shows the Gibraltar-flagged container ship Indian Express (C-front) and the Panama-flagged container ship Elegant (C-behind) near the entrance of the Suez Canal, by Egypt's Red Sea port city of Suez. (Photo by Ahmed HASAN / AFP) (Photo by AHMED HASAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey, Egypt seek to boost mutual trade by 50% in 5 years

In the first visit of its kind in a decade, Egypt's trade and industry minister traveled to Turkey on Tuesday.

YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images

One wounded by gunman at Swedish consulate in Turkey

The motives of the assailant remain unclear but the attack comes amid increasing outcry at Stockholm for allowing Quran burnings in the country.

Shell St Fergus Gas Plant in Aberdeenshire

Analysis

Expanded UK-Turkey trade deal seen as win-win, could include services

The current deal does not account for services, which form integral parts of the British and Turkish economies.

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

Relatives mourn over the caskets of 11 people killed in Turkish airstrikes.

US, Russia mum as Turkey escalates attacks against Kurdish groups in Syria, Iraq

Both the White House and the State Department remain silent as Turkey's military campaign against the PKK continues "full blast."

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey struggles to maintain Russia-Ukraine balance as grain crisis persists

Erdogan can ill afford to confront Russia by backing alternative means to sustain Ukrainian grain exports without Moscow’s involvement.

The front page of the Hurriet Daily news displays a headline of yesterdays interest rate hike at a news stand on June 23, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. The Turkish Lira weakened to a record low of 25.74 against the dollar, a day after the central bank hiked interest rates from 8.5 percent to 15 percent in the first rate decision since the appointment of new central bank governor Hafize Gaye Erkan and the re-election of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Erdogan taps ex-NY Fed official as Turkey's deputy Central Bank head

In a major reshuffle, the Turkish president has dismissed all three deputy Central Bank governors as his government ramps up efforts to regain the confidence of Western investors.