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Turkey

April 23, 2026

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US Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack attends a meeting with President Donald Trump and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office at the White House on Sept. 25, 2025, in Washington, DC.

Trump envoy Barrack’s embrace of 'strong leaders' sparks fury in Turkey

Turkish opposition members say envoy Tom Barrack’s remarks praising “strong leaders” and monarchies undermine Turkey’s democratic tradition and embolden President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Members of Iraq's security forces stand guard on the the al-Rabia border crossing with Syria on April 20, 2026.

How Syria's border opening with Iraq redefines Turkey-Kurd balance

After years of closure, the reopening of al-Yaaroubiya crossing is redrawing Kurdish economic leverage and reinforcing Turkey’s regional strategy.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shake hands during the press conference following their meeting at Villa Doria Pamphilj, on April 29, 2025, in Rome, Italy.

Analysis

Italy’s TB3 drone deal signals turn toward Turkey amid US-NATO tensions

Italy’s expected TB3 drone purchase highlights a rapidly deepening, interest-driven alignment with Turkey on defense and geopolitics.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Latest News

Analysis

Is Syria’s Sharaa poised to outdo Turkey in formalizing gains for Kurds?

Kurdish people waving Kurdistan flags gather to celebrate Nowruz on the hill of Urkesh in the countryside of Amuda in northeastern Syria on March 18, 2026. Nowruz, meaning "new day," is an ancient festival that marks the start of spring and the new year on the vernal equinox, which usually falls on March 20 or 21. It is celebrated by more than 300 million people worldwide and has been observed for over 3,000 years across regions including the Middle East, Central Asia, the Caucasus and parts of Eastern Euro

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

At least 9 killed in Turkey’s second school shooting in 24 hours

YASIN AKGUL / AFP) (Photo by YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Inside Turkey’s role in the US-Iran ceasefire

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) walks with Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif upon his arrival during an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Turkey on June 1, 2022. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

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

U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan shake hands at the end of a joint news conference at the White House in Washington, U.S., November 13, 2019. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - RC2LAD9PASW2

Erdogan’s US welcome sparks fear Trump will halt Turkey sanctions

As Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the White House today amid protest from Congress, aides in Congress and experts lose faith that President Donald Trump will impose automatic sanctions on Turkey for taking delivery of a Russian air defense system over four months ago.

U.S President Donald Trump (L) welcomes Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the entrance to the West Wing of the White House in Washington, U.S. May 16, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - HP1ED5G1AXJBA

Intel: What’s on the agenda for the Trump-Erdogan meeting

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is in Washington to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House today amid an intense crisis between the two NATO allies.

ANKARA, TURKEY - NOVEMBER 12: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (2nd R) and his wife Emine Erdogan (R) are seen before their departure to Washington from the Esenboga Airport in Ankara, Turkey on November 12, 2019. (Photo by Ercin Top/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Erdogan heads for Washington, where Trump's hands already full

Turkey’s president is on his way to Washington in a bid to salvage battered ties, but despite his positive chemistry with the US president, the Turkish leader is likely to hit a wall.

Turkish Central Bank suffers big credibility loss

The Turkish Central Bank’s obedience to the government, both in terms of monetary policy and interventions in the foreign exchange market, is badly damaging its credibility among foreign investors, the ultimate cost of which will be borne by the crisis-hit economy.

This picture taken on August 16, 2019 shows a smoke plume rising following a reported air strike in Kfar Ruma in Syria's northwestern Idlib province. - Air strikes on August 16 by Syria's regime and its Russian ally killed 15 civilians in the area controlled by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Idlib province, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The strikes came as regime forces battled HTS jihadists and allied rebels in the region, where fierce fighting

Russia chides Turkey over Idlib — again

Russia's foreign minister has demanded Turkey end tensions in Syria's Idlib, indicating Russia will continue to use Idlib as a pressure point to keep Ankara in line.

Erdogan doesn't let facts interfere with rhetoric

The spin Turkey's president puts on his country's most recent incursion into Syria wanders far from reality.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attend the start of the NATO summit in Brussels, Belgium July 11, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RC117DD2EDF0

Can Trump, Erdogan pick up the pieces in Syria?

Putin gains from the fallout in US-Turkey ties and the Kurds are still counting on US influence with Ankara.

Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring effectively divides Syria into five sectors

The essential division of northeastern Syria into five sectors has created a highly combustible environment where one small spark is enough to start a massive fire.

An Islamic State flag flies over the custom office of Syria's Jarablus border gate as it is pictured from the Turkish town of Karkamis, in Gaziantep province, Turkey August 1, 2015. Karkamis is a Turkish town of 10,500 people that sits directly opposite the border post. Shut for more than a year, the military sealed the crossing with a breeze block wall a few months ago. Behind it, just inside Syria, the black flag of Islamic State flaps in the breeze. Karkamis lies on the northeastern edge of a rectangle o

Turkey-Europe ties brace for fresh rift over stateless IS militants

The fate of foreign Islamic State militants captured in Syria is looming as a big headache for Turkey as many of them are now stateless, expelled from the citizenship of European countries.

WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 12: Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) speaks during a news conference discussing discuss a resolution to end U.S. military support for Saudi Arabia's war with Yemen on Capitol Hill on December 12, 2018 in Washington, DC. Also pictured are Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ). (Photo by Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

Intel: How two senators could force Trump to ban US arm sales to Turkey

U.S. President Donald Trump attends a bilateral meeting with Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan during the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RC15E2597F00

Seeking to restore relations on Capitol Hill, Erdogan to visit Trump in Washington

With US-Turkey ties in disarray, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has confirmed his Nov. 13 meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington, where he may seek to win over allies in Congress.

Journalist Nazli Ilicak, previously sentenced to life imprisonment for aiding the network of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of orchestrating a coup attempt in 2016, is embraced by her relatives after being released from a prison in Istanbul, Turkey, November 4, 2019. REUTERS/Huseyin Aldemir - RC11B929AC90

Is release of two prominent journalists a sign of normalization?

The release of two well-known journalists from prison shouldn’t lead anyone to believe and hope that Turkey is becoming less autocratic.