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Turkey

Turkey

May 1, 2026

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Members of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), from the British Army's 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, No. 2 Company, patrol along the buffer zone separating the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus and the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the divided capital Nicosia on Feb. 17, 2026.

Turkey warns France over Cyprus troop deployment: What to know

A potential French deployment to Greek Cyprus comes amid Turkey’s growing concerns of strategic encirclement in the Eastern Mediterranean.

This aerial photograph shows Turkey's first floating natural gas production platform, "Osman Gazi," passing through the Bosphorus, in Istanbul, on May 29, 2025.

Turkey advances gas pipeline plan to northern Cyprus as East Med rivalry grows

The Turkish energy minister said the country's oil and natural gas pipeline operator, BOTAS, has started the engineering work for the pipeline.

Cadets of the Saiqa Force (Special Forces) of the self-styled Libyan National Army affiliated with eastern strongman Khalifa Hifter take part in a graduation ceremony in tribute to the force's late commander, Wanis Bukhamada, in the eastern city of Benghazi, on Jan. 20, 2022.

In first, Libya’s rival armies to join drill in Turkey: What to know

The move follows the first joint exercise inside Libya amid renewed international efforts to unify the country.

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.

Latest News

Analysis

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

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.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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

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)

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.

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

Ancient Mideast tastes mingle in stuffed holiday dishes

In the Middle East, just as in the Western world, the end of the year is a time for stuffed dishes — and for debating who started each long and rich tradition.

Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos (L) and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) enter the Presidential Mansion during a meeting in Athens, Greece December 7, 2017. REUTERS/Simela Pantzartzi/Pool - RC1B07EB44A0

Turkey expands impunity for Erdogan loyalists

Turkey’s latest set of emergency decrees grant immunity to anyone deemed to have been resisting efforts to overthrow the government during and even after the coup attempt.

Eastern Mediterranean may be scene of first conflict of 2018

Developments warn of growing tension between Turkey and the Greek Cypriots over newly discovered hydrocarbon reserves in the eastern Mediterranean.

Syrians gather around a Christmas tree in Aleppo's government controlled Aziziyah neighbourhood on December 31, 2016. / AFP / George OURFALIAN (Photo credit should read GEORGE OURFALIAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Christmas trees in Aleppo?

A new roof in Bethlehem, a desecrated altar in Diyarbakir, Christmas trees in Aleppo and an appreciation of “fellow travelers” in faith.

Turkey's 'war machine' goes global

The ambitious Turkish gendarmerie command is seeking to form a cooperative agency with countries in and around Central Asia as part of its increased involvement in Turkey's foreign policy.

Riyadh, SAUDI ARABIA: Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan arrives at the ministerial meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, held 03 June 2006 in Riyadh. The ministers discussed the crisis of the Iranian nuclear program and called for a diplomatic solution to this issue. AFP PHOTO/FAHD SHADEED (Photo credit should read FAHD SHADEED/AFP/Getty Images)

Turkey-UAE rift may have unintended spillover

The conflict between Ankara and Abu Dhabi may spill over into Turkey's ties with Saudi Arabia and the United States.

'Don't send us to our death' Saudi sisters beg Turkey

Two sisters from Saudi Arabia are fighting deportation from Turkey, where they fled violence back home, but the court order still stands.

FILE PHOTO: Osman Baydemir, spokesman for the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), addresses members of parliament from his party during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara, Turkey April 18, 2017. Picture taken April 18, 2017. REUTERS/Umit Bektas/File Photo - RC1730D15E80

How ‘Kurdistan’ became illegal in Turkey, again

The Turkey of 2013 and the Turkey of 2017 are very different places, which is why uttering the word “Kurdistan” is once again a punishable offense in the parliament.

A group of pro-Erdogan demonstrators shout slogans at a group of anti-Erdogan Kurds (foreground, back to camera) in Lafayette Park as Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan met with U.S. President Donald Trump nearby at the White House in Washington, U.S. May 16, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC11DF991CB0

Are hit squads about to take aim at Turkey's dissidents abroad?

A Turkish parliamentarian has told Al-Monitor that Western officials believe dissidents and religious minority leaders in exile are being targeted by Turkish government operatives for assassination.

Iconic Armenian church survives war but not plunder in Turkey

The Surp Giragos Armenian Church in Diyarbakir enters the Christmas season as a victim of plunder and vandalism, despite its location in a sealed-off area with heavy security presence.

Pro-Erdogan media targets Saudis after Trump's Jerusalem decision

Let's hope Turkey can afford its alienation of Saudi Arabia and Saudi allies for the cause of Jerusalem.

Turkey closes door to bitcoin

Against the backdrop of a global bitcoin frenzy, the Turkish government has taken a stance against cryptocurrencies.