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

Turkey

Turkey

July 13, 2026

Ankara 8:10 pm

29°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

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) welcomes Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Turkey, Kazakhstan sign joint production accord for drones

Turkey and Kazakhstan agree on an enhanced strategic partnership during Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s first-ever state visit to Turkey .

Afghan refugees

Turkey’s potential xenophobia goes beyond Syrian refugees

Growing popular resentment of refugees and migrants is on course to become the second hot-button election topic in Turkey after the economic crisis, but the government is not in a position to force the return of Syrians, the main component of the problem.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu

Difference over Syrian refugee policy behind unseemly feud between Turkish politicians

The founder of a small right-wing party challenges the interior minister in row over repatriations — but is it an attempt to gain support as Turks grow weary of refugees?

Amateur musicians play in the Istanbul metro during the performance ban due to COVID-19 in Istanbul on June 9, 2021.

Silenced Turkish singers decry continued music ban

Turkish government persistence on not removing the live music ban draws outcry from the entertainment and music industry.

Displaced Syrians arriving with their belongings in a convoy of trucks at a new housing complex.

Erdogan’s plan for return of Syrian refugees unlikely to succeed

Erdogan’s new plan to encourage the voluntary return of Syrian refugees promises little success as long as fighting, militia violations and insecurity continue in Syria.

Imamoglu

Istanbul mayor’s PR fiasco bruises presidential ambitions

Istanbul's popular opposition mayor hit a pothole on his informal presidential campaign trail when a photograph sparked outrage and he responded, some detractors say, like an aspiring Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey TV

Can Ankara-Riyadh rapprochement help improve Turkey-Egypt ties?

Although Ankara has secured several diplomatic strides by normalizing its relations with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, rapprochement with Egypt still seems a challenging prospect.

PKK

Analysis

Sinjar becomes latest flashpoint for Iran-Turkey tensions in Iraq

New Pentagon IG report says that the Turkey-PKK conflict and Iranian militias are contributing to instability in Iraq.

Week in Review

By Week in Review

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) takes part in an exhibition football match.

Culture

Turkish soccer in dire straits due to economic crisis, power struggles

Turkey’s soccer sector has hit rock bottom as power struggles as well as financial and structural difficulties set in.

Inflation soared to nearly 70% (69.97%) over one year in April in Turkey.

Turkish inflation jumps from 20% to 70% in just six months

Even if monthly price increases ease to an average of 5% in the coming months, Turkey would face an annual consumer inflation of over 100% in the fall and finish the year with a rate of some 90%.

RINGO CHIU/AFP via Getty Images

More niceties, zero progress in third round of Turkey-Armenia peace talks

Turkey and Armenia's third round of rapprochement talks have produced little of substance as Armenians protested by in the thousands and called for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign.

NIKOLAY DOYCHINOV/AFP via Getty Images

Bulgaria looks to Turkey for help with gas shortage

Russia has cut gas exports to Bulgaria, leaving Sofia looking to Ankara, which has some tough decisions to make.