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

Turkey

Turkey

April 29, 2025

Ankara 2:11 pm

15°C

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi Arabia, Israel, Turkey rank in top 20 global military spenders: What to know

Regional military spending saw a significant increase in 2024, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, amid conflicts in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon, though it found that Europe drove the overall hike in global expenditures.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is welcomed by Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni upon arrival at the Borgo Egnazia resort for the G7 Summit hosted by Italy in Apulia region, on June 14, 2024 in Savelletri.

Turkey's Erdogan to meet Meloni in Italy as ties deepen: What to know

The Turkish president’s visit follows a landmark deal between a leading Turkish drone maker and Italy’s defense giant Leonardo for joint production.

Serdar Ozsoy/Getty Images

Turkey detains 52 in second wave of arrests in Imamoglu probe

The main opposition links the detention of more Istanbul municipality employees to the Canal Istanbul project.

Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft from the Kuwaiti Air Force fly over during an airshow in Kuwait City, Feb. 25, 2025.

Analysis

On Eurofighters, Turkey hedges bets as it awaits Merz's decision in Germany

With the government of the incoming chancellor poised to decide the fate of the deal, analysts debate whether it will survive and suggest possible alternatives.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Latest News

Analysis

Syria’s Kurds reap benefits of Erdogan’s 'terror free Turkey' as Ankara halts attacks

Syrian Kurds chant slogans and wave flags as they demonstrate in the northeastern city of Qamishli on March 14, 2025, against the new constitutional declaration announced by the interim government in Damascus the previous day.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Russia, Turkey to hold talks as Moscow seeks to keep Syria military bases: What to know

AAREF WATAD/AFP via Getty Images

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

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

Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Demonstrators gather outside the thermal power station in Nasiriyah in Iraq's southern Dhi Qar province to demand the construction of a new station for their region, to allow the province to deal with the chronic power cuts and palliate electricity outage that weight on the daily life, on Sept. 4, 2024.

Exclusive

Turkey stops electricity sales to Iraq after Baghdad fails to settle $70M+ bill

Turkey halted electricity exports to Iraq over unpaid dues, straining ties as Baghdad faces a summer power crunch and unresolved Kurdish oil disputes.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images

New German government to decide on Eurofighter sale to Turkey: Officials

Germany’s outgoing government will leave the Eurofighter sale decision to incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz, official German sources suggested to Al-Monitor.

Istanbul

Turkey’s Istanbul shaken by 6.2 magnitude earthquake, over 200 injured

A powerful earthquake struck Turkey’s largest metropolis and financial hub, Istanbul, triggering panic and injuring more than 200 people in the city of over 15 million.

KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey’s Simsek tours US for IMF, WB summits, Treasury Secretary meeting

Turkey’s finance czar is starting his trip in New York before heading to Washington for talks on economic cooperation and global financial issues.

DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

With SDF in sight, Turkey assesses gains as Trump eyes Syria withdrawal

Turkey is weighing its security gains and diplomatic risks as Washington reconsiders its military footprint in Syria.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

An Israeli army Merkava main battle tank crosses the barbed-wire fence into the UN-patrolled buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan Heights near the UN Quneitra checkpoint on March 2, 2025.

Analysis

Fragile optimism over Turkey-Israel deconfliction talks in Syria: What to know

As Turkey and Israel seek a better understanding of each other’s positions in Syria, deconfliction talks aim to prevent clashes but offer little hope for broader reconciliation.

Ezgi Akin

Rina Bassist

Jared Szuba

By Ezgi Akin , Rina Bassist , Jared Szuba

People walk past a currency exchange board showing the Turkish Lira which fell to historic lows against the dollar after the news of the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19, 2025 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey hikes interest rate to 46% amid turmoil over Imamoglu’s arrest

The rate hike marks the first since March 2024, amid growing economic turmoil following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.

Police watch arrests in drug busts

Over 200 arrested in Turkey, Europe in international drug bust: What to know

Of the suspects, 225 were apprehended in Turkey and nine others were apprehended in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Belgium.

A picture taken on Dec. 7, 2021, in Istanbul shows Turkish liras.

Turkey's budget deficit narrows to $6.8B in March as lira fluctuates

The data was released as Turkey has been facing economic turmoil and currency volatility.

Turkey protest

Turkish court rejects appeal to release Imamoglu as protests persist

The Istanbul mayor’s lawyers appealed his arrest last week, saying that there was no flight risk for the main opposition presidential contender.

The Soloturk aerobatic demonstration team of the Turkish Air Force flies an F-16 aircraft over Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Turkish Republic's Founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, during celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey in Ankara, on October 29, 2023. Turkey marked its centenary as a post-Ottoman republic on October 29, 2023, with somewhat muted celebrations held in the shadow of Israel's escalating war with Hamas militants in Gaza. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALT

Analysis

With F-35, Eurofighter jets on table, Turkey cools off on F-16 deal

With Eurofighters available and President Donald Trump back in office, Ankara is reconsidering the urgency of its $23 billion F-16 deal with the United States.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security