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

Turkey

Turkey

July 12, 2026

Ankara 5:40 pm

31°C

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose after signing a defense partnership agreement on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

Analysis

From S-400s to SAMP/T: Turkey’s defense pivot gathers pace after NATO summit

Turkey is seeking to turn the diplomatic momentum from the Ankara NATO summit into a broad defense realignment spanning US sanctions relief and fighter technology, European air defenses and deeper military cooperation with the UK.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Lebanese PM Salam in Turkey as Erdogan seeks wider regional role

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s visit to Turkey comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently warned that Israeli attacks against Lebanon and Syria threaten Turkey’s security.

Latest News

In first, Russia confirms S-400 talks with Turkey amid transfer reports to acquire F-35

AFP via Getty Images

Turkey brokers intra-Somalia talks as federal rifts test Ankara’s influence

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey Alparslan Bayraktar speaks during the launch of an offshore energy exploration at the port in Mogadishu on April 10, 2026.

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

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 corn vendor waits for customers on a street in Istanbul on Sept. 6, 2022.

In shock move, Turkey cuts interest rates again

Inflation is historically high in Turkey, but President Erdogan continues to defy economic wisdom as the country's central bank slashed policy rates further.

Turkey drone

UAE receives first batch of Turkish armed drones

Turkey’s delivery of 20 armed drones to the United Arab Emirates showcases the rapid advance in Ankara’s regional fence-mending.

Russian "Marina" shows her Russian passport as she poses for a photo in a hostel in Belgrade, on March 17, 2022.

Turkey braces for fresh influx of Russians as Putin announces mobilization

Prices of international flights from Russia to countries where Russians can visa-free travel skyrocketed within hours following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s partial mobilization announcement.

DENIS LOVROVIC/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey’s Erdogan tours world stage but misses royal funeral

The Turkish president’s foreign trips are widely seen as a way of boosting his image at home.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Why Erdogan’s Shanghai ambitions are risky business

President Erdogan’s statement that NATO-member Turkey is targeting membership in the Shanghai club is more geared toward domestic consumption than reality, particularly after a top Russian diplomat said NATO and the SCO are incompatible.

The flags of (L to R) Turkey, Israel, and the Israeli army armoured corps fly at the Yad La-Shiryon Tank Museum in Latrun, about 30 kilometres west of Jerusalem, on August 18, 2022. - Israel and Turkey on August 16 announced the resumption of full diplomatic ties following years of strained relations between the Mediterranean nations. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid hailed the step as an "important asset for regional stability and very important economic news for the citizens" of the Jewish state. Lapid h

Israeli, Turkish leaders to meet at UN amid East Mediterranean tensions

Protesters hold placards and flags during an anti-LGBT rally organized by pro-Islamic organizations in Istanbul on Sept. 18, 2022.

Thousands gather in Istanbul for anti-LGBTQ rally

Organizers say they are rallying for family values, while rights groups protest the rally as a hate crime.

ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP via Getty Images

Iran to join Shanghai Cooperation Organization

Iran took a step toward joining in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization at a summit in Uzbekistan this week.

Samarkand

Erdogan meets Azerbaijan’s Aliyev as Baku, Yerevan reach ceasefire

Azerbaijan-Armenia tensions and the grain corridor are expected to top Erdogan’s meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, where Turkey is attending at the presidential level for the first time.

VLADIMIR SMIRNOV/AFP via Getty Images

Erdogan looks to Putin to ease foreign currency woes

An extraordinary uptick in capital flows of unknown origin to Turkey has left many wondering whether Russian money could be involved.

NATO

Turkey renews veto threat on Sweden, Finland NATO bids

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking a meeting with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly next week.

Armenia Azerbaijan

Turkey backs Azerbaijan in deadly attacks against Armenia

While Turkey has prided itself for mediating between Russia and Ukraine, Ankara has shown no such impartiality in the recent fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia, with Turkish leaders airing their support for Baku.