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Turkey

Turkey

April 28, 2026

Ankara 2:26 am

11°C

Turkey's submarines and fast-attack craft ships participate in the live-fire phase of the Blue Homeland-2026 (Mavi Vatan) tactical military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in Antalya on April 9, 2026.

Turkey’s military spending jumps to $30B, leads Mideast growth in 2025

Newly released data shows Ankara’s military spending hit $30 billion, while Saudi Arabia remained the region’s top spender and Israel’s outlays declined in 2025.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the margins of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, on April 17, 2026.

Analysis

Why Saudi Arabia, Egypt are wary of Turkey’s proposed 4-way defense pact with Pakistan

The proposed framework faces major hurdles and fault lines, ranging from NATO constraints to Israeli opposition and weak military integration.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

CORLU, TURKEY- MARCH 2: A B model of Bayraktar AKINCI TİHA (Assault Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in the sky on March 2, 2022 in Corlu, Turkey. (Photo by Baykar Press Office/dia images via Getty Images)

Turkey’s Baykar tests K2 swarm kamikaze drones for first time: What to know

Baykar tested its K2 and new loitering drones, featuring AI-driven swarm capabilities and the ability to operate under GPS jamming.

Latest News

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

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.

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

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

Analysis

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

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.

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

US sanctions unlikely to crack Iran’s support for Syria

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have perfected low-budget warfare; Putin draws his own red line with Israel and Iran; Erdogan’s zero-sum approach to Syrian Kurds.

A member of the anti-Iranian group, Kurdistan Free Life Party (PJAK), hangs up a flag of jailed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) leader, Abdullah Ocalan, at their base deep on the Iraq-Iran border of northern Iraq's Kurdish autonomous region, on August 28, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / SAFIN HAMED (Photo credit should read SAFIN HAMED/AFP/Getty Images)

Villagers on KRG-Turkey border welcome new road, troops to protect it

As Turkey's hunt for the Kurdish resistance group claims victims who have no ties to or sympathy for the Kurdistan Workers Party, locals hope a new border post protected by peshmerga can establish security and end the bombing of innocent villagers.

Three Ukrainian naval ships (L), which were recently seized by Russia's FSB security service, are seen anchored in a port in Kerch, Crimea November 28, 2018. REUTERS/Alla Dmitrieva - RC18F447FA20

Can Turkey mediate Russian-Ukrainian conflict on the Black Sea?

President Erodogan has been on the phone with the Ukrainian, Russian and US presidents and has called for Ukraine and Russia to peacefully resolve their conflict.

Turkey’s Kyrgyz colony struggles to keep traditional lifestyle alive

In eastern Anatolia, a village of Kyrgyz resettled from Afghanistan has become an unlikely tourism hub and a fortress of Turkish nationalism.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrives at Ministro Pistarini in Buenos Aires, Argentina, November 28, 2018. Argentine G20/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC1B18A699F0

Will Erdogan, MBS meet at G-20?

The Turkish president hasn't ruled out meeting with the Saudi crown prince in Argentina, but what could the de facto Saudi leader offer for Turkey to bury the Jamal Khashoggi murder case?

U.S. President Donald Trump talks to Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium July 11, 2018.Tatyana Zenkovich/Pool via REUTERS?? - RC13B175F540

Turkey irate over US obstructions in Syria

Ankara's frustration with the United States continues to grow as Washington takes yet another step that Turkish officials believe was designed to hamper them from unleashing the Turkish military against the Kurdish People's Protection Units in Syria along Turkey's border.

Syrian rebel-fighters from the National Liberation Front (NLF) inspect the rubble of a building destroyed by a reported air strike from the day before in the rebel-held al-Rashidin district of western Aleppo's countryside near Idlib province, on November 26, 2018. - Air strikes hit the edges of Syria's last major rebel stronghold west of Aleppo on November 25, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said a day after an alleged toxic attack on the regime-held city. The SOHR said regime

Turkey, Russia, Iran convene in Astana for Syria talks

The 11th Astana meeting between Moscow, Tehran and Ankara reportedly focused on maintaining the cease-fire in Idlib as flare-ups threaten to ignite the area.

Silivri prison complex is pictured in Silivri near Istanbul, Turkey, September 2, 2017. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC168D4C5630

Turkey can't build prisons fast enough to house convict influx

Turkey has incarcerated so many people on terror and drug-related charges that its prisoner population far exceeds its capacity and overcrowding has become a thorny issue.

Financier and philanthropist George Soros speaks during the European Roma summit at European Commission headquarters in Brussels September 16, 2008. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir (BELGIUM) - GM1E49G1HWT01

How Soros turned from friend to foe for Erdogan

The Open Society Foundation is pulling out from Turkey amid a vitriolic campaign demonizing its sponsor, George Soros, as a backer of forces that seek to unseat President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Hamas politicos make rounds internationally to gain backing

Hamas' Change and Reform bloc, looking to drum up support for Palestinians and improve bilateral relations, is taking its cause on the road.

Supporters of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan are seen at the Halic Congress Center during a meeting of ruling AK Party to announce candidates for the local elections in March 2019, in Istanbul, Turkey November 24, 2018. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1270839FD0

Turkey's ruling party cuts deal with nationalist MHP on mayoral races

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party has agreed to coordinate with its nationalist rival in the upcoming municipal elections as a damning survey showed Turkey's best districts are run by the opposition.

Turkish army officers stand at attention during a ceremony marking the 96th anniversary of Victory Day at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in Ankara, Turkey August 30, 2018. REUTERS/Umit Bektas TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC173FEBAEE0

Turkey’s paid exemption from military service system begins

Will the new paid military service waiver program be Turkey’s last?