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Turkey

Turkey

August 20, 2026

Ankara 3:39 pm

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President Ahmad al-Sharaa meets Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar at the People’s Palace in Damascus, Syria, on Aug. 19, 2026.

Turkey looks to expand Syria energy footprint into oil, gas

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said state oil giant TPAO and private companies are ready to explore for oil and gas onshore and offshore in Syria.

Ohad Zwigenberg / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Netanyahu yields to Trump on Gaza, betting Hamas won’t disarm

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to advance the US administration's Gaza plan in a meeting with envoy Jared Kushner despite his skepticism about Hamas' commitment.

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

Sudanese army soldier stands in front of a tank

Sudan ramps up Saudi Arabia, Turkey contacts amid growing Red Sea cooperation

Sudanese officials held parallel talks in Riyadh and Ankara as Saudi Arabia and Turkey deepen security cooperation around the Red Sea and fighting intensifies in Sudan.

Latest News

Analysis

How Israel's rivalry, defense deals prompted Turkey to join Mecca pact

Fireworks explode over Islamabad

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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

SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi Arabia, Qatar raise repo rates while Turkey stays put

Central Banks in the Middle East are responding to the US Federal Reserve raising interest rates due to rising inflation.

Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez (2nd-L) and Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov (2nd-R) attend the Turkey-Azerbaijan (Nakhchivan) Natural Gas Pipeline Project signing ceremony at the Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Ministry headquarters, Ankara, Turkey, Dec. 15, 2020.

No magic tap for Europe to replace Russian gas via Turkey

Europe has been looking to Azerbaijan, Israel and other countries to transit gas via Turkey, but assuming political obstacles can be overcome, the massive investments needed will take time to realize.

Erdogan Putin

Will Erdogan draw lessons from Putin's Ukraine mistakes?

As Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan watches Russian forces flounder in Ukraine, he may be rethinking his own ambitions — or concluding that Turkey is in a better spot than ever.

Russian rapper Oxxxymiron

In Istanbul, fleeing Russians mull next step of self-exile

Thousands of Russians fearing the political and economic fallout of the Ukraine war have fled to Istanbul, with most planning to travel on to Europe or former Soviet republics.

President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey’s pro-Western policy reversal reveals Erdogan’s dilemma

Turkey's position over the Russian invasion of Ukraine has resonated as a pro-Western shift in Ankara’s foreign policy, but Erdogan needs to go the extra mile.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Turkish opposition slams electoral tinkering

The opposition says a proposed amendment to Turkey's election law is designed to look like it will enhance multiparty democracy, but will only help get the ruling party and its allies reelected.

Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

How Erdogan could emerge stronger from war in Ukraine

Senior bureaucrats believe Erdogan will "wipe the opposition off the table" in next year's elections, excelling as he does in every major crisis.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands.

Turkey, Germany extend call to Russia for cease-fire

During German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s first visit to Ankara, both leaders maintain that they want to help Ukraine defend itself while seeking a diplomatic solution.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Libyan GNU Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah.

Three challenging scenarios for Turkey in Libya

Turkey could face tough choices in Libya unless the power struggle between the two rival governments is resolved, including military intervention should the eastern-backed prime minister attempt to enter Tripoli by force.

An Ukrainian flag waves in front of smoke rising from a bombed warehouse in the town of Stoyanka, west of Kyiv, on March 4, 2022.

Analysis

Bennett, Erdogan seek to fill diplomatic vacuum over Ukraine

Qatar’s role in Iran diplomacy even more vital with pause in Vienna nuclear talks.

Week in Review

By Week in Review

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Dizzying fuel hikes fan popular grievances in Turkey

With Turkey’s consumer inflation already at 54.4%, price increases on fuel alone threaten to add two percentage points to the monthly inflation rate in March.

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Ukraine, Russia make no progress in cease-fire talks in Turkey

The discussions fail to achieve a cease-fire or a humanitarian corridor for the port city of Mariupol, but Cavusoglu says Turkey’s diplomatic efforts would continue as Erdogan braces for top level meetings with Azerbaijan, Greece and Germany.