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

Turkey

Turkey

October 9, 2026

Ankara 9:38 am

16°C

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) meets with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (L) during a visit on Oct. 7, 2026, in Athens, Greece.

Rubio signals US push to ease Greece-Turkey cable tensions

The top US diplomat said Washington was “very committed” to the subsea cable project as Ankara and Athens remain at odds over survey work in contested waters.

Turkish Navy infantry soldiers take part in the Denizkurdu-I/2026 Exercise in the Eastern Mediterranean, off the coast of Aksaz, at Marmaris in Mugla, on Sept. 24, 2026.

Turkey to send Mecca pact to parliament, opening path to Saudi deployment

Parliamentary ratification will remove a legal hurdle for Turkish military deployment to Saudi Arabia under a trilateral defense pact.

Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay (R) his wife Oznur Tugay and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan acknowledge the audience after the mayor announced joining the ruling Justice and Development Party during a meeting with AKP lawmakers in Ankara, on Oct. 7, 2026.

Latest defection hands Erdogan’s AKP control of Turkey’s third-largest city

The ruling party’s takeover of Izmir’s mayoralty is the latest example of the unraveling of the opposition parties’ historic gains in Turkey’s 2024 local elections.

Turkey's Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya speaks to media after arriving at the Ataturk International airport on March 12, 2017, in Istanbul.

Erdogan aide named suspect in Turkey financial scandal

Former AKP deputy chairwoman Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya is facing allegations of being linked to a market manipulation scandal.

Latest News

Turkey, Pakistan to deploy forces to Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks

A Yemeni man holds up a mock missile decorated with the colors of the Palestinian flag and the chechered keffiyeh in front of portraits of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar (L) and the leader of the Houthi movement, Abdel Malek al-Houthi (R), during a protest in Sanaa to denounce strikes on Yemen and Israel's bombardment of Gaza on Jan. 15, 2025.

Analysis

Turkey revives F-16 talks with US amid Israel, Greece deterrence concerns

Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Analysis

Turkey’s $20B fund crisis: Who profited, and who will pay?

Traders work at their desks on the floor of the Borsa Istanbul

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

Turkey mine collapse death toll rises to five: What to know

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

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

Iraqi autonomous Kurdish region's peshmerga forces and fighters from the Yazidi minority, a local Kurdish-speaking community targeted in a brutal campaign by the Islamic State (IS) group, enter the western Iraqi city of Sinjar, in the Nineveh Province, on Nov. 13, 2015.

Turkey’s Fidan says Iraqi Sinjar must be ‘clear’ of PKK presence

The top Turkish diplomat’s comment comes as Ankara is ramping up its threats for a large-scale operation in northern Iraq.

Antony J. Blinken, United States Secretary of State, shakes hands with the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan before posing for the official press photo on the first day of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting at the NATO headquarters on April 03, 2024, in Brussels, Belgium.

Turkey dials up Gaza diplomacy as cease-fire talks hit 'impasse'

Ankara dials up Gaza diplomacy with Washington, Doha and Hamas, with the top Turkish diplomat describing the prospects of a cease-fire as dimming.

Members of the Secret Service stand guard as people wave Turkish flags during a rally in front of the White House in Washington,DC on May 16, 2017.

Over 70 lawmakers urge Biden to hold Turkey accountable for Sheridan Circle violence

The 2017 attack by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s security detail in Washington injured several protesters outside the Turkish ambassador's residence.

SAKIS MITROLIDIS/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey, Greece reach understanding on contentious Aegean marine park plan

The announcement comes a day after Turkish-Greek leadership summit in Ankara between Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Turkish Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek (L) speak with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) before the press conference following the cabinet meeting held at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on August 21, 2023. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

What does Turkey's three-year austerity plan to curb inflation entail?

The plan is to increase the efficiency of the public sector through cost-cutting measures such as a ban on buying new vehicles for civil servants.

This handout photograph taken and released by the Turkish Presidency Press Service on May 13, 2024 shows Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan posing before a meeting in Ankara.

Erdogan rebukes Greek PM for calling Hamas ‘terrorists,’ says 1,000+ members being treated in Turkey

Erdogan’s comments came after the Greek prime minister told the news conference that “particularly in the Middle East there are differences with Turkey.”

Turkish air force fighter jets perform a military parade over the Bosphorus as Camlica mosque is seen in the background to mark the 100th anniversary of Turkish Republic in Istanbul on Oct. 29, 2023.

As wars rage, Turkey's military industry sees boom in fighter jets, drone sectors

While the MMU Kaan that is slated to become Turkey’s first stealthy fifth-generation fighter is taking baby steps, other key Turkish military aviation projects have also begun attracting international attention.

People are gathered to protest cooperation between Turkey and Israel.

Turkey, Israel tangle in fresh row over trade ban

The fresh tensions between the two regional powers seem to be stemming from a Turkish directive sent to companies that were doing business with Israel to introduce a three-month adjustment period for implementation of the trade ban.

AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP via Getty Images

With draft letters done, Turkey and US inch closer to concluding $23B F-16 deal

Turkey has concluded its part on draft letter of offer for the $23 billion sale, a Turkish official said.

Turkey ExxonMobil

Turkey’s BOTAS signs $1.1B long-term LNG deal with ExxonMobil

Turkey and ExxonMobil have signed a major liquified natural gas deal as Ankara looks to diversify its energy sources.

Tourists visit the Chora (Kariye) Church Museum, the 11th century church of St. Savior on August 21, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Erdogan's Byzantine church conversion roils Greece ahead of PM's Turkey visit

The Byzantine-era cathedral's inauguration as a working mosque came just days before a landmark visit to Turkey by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, which is due to kick off on May 13.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hosted Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah in Ankara on May 7. Photo courtesy: The Turkish Presidency

Turkey and Kuwait sign six deals as Erdogan hosts country's Emir

The Kuwaiti emir traveled to Turkey for his first foreign visit to a non-Arab country since he took the oath of office in December.