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Turkey

Turkey

May 18, 2026

Ankara 9:34 pm

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Ships navigate the Bosphorus Strait on May 02, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey. Since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran, forcing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and together with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, global shipping routes have been severely impacted. Soaring shipping costs, lengthening delivery times and less efficient routes have seen increased pressure on energy markets and supply chains worldwide. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Analysis

Why Turkey sees opportunity in Hormuz crisis to boost Middle Corridor

Ankara seeks to exploit transport disruptions from the Iran, Ukraine wars to push the corridor, but high costs, logistical bottlenecks and South Caucasus politics pose obstacles.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Mazloum Kobane, commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks during the pan-Kurdish "Unity and Consensus" conference in Qamishli in northeastern Syria on April 26, 2025.

Interview

Syrian Kurdish commander Kobane says Turkey visit ‘in the making,’ Ocalan meeting possible

The SDF commander-in-chief reflected on a fragile integration deal with Damascus, growing Kurdish backlash and ongoing talks with Turkey as questions mount over Rojava’s political future.

Mazloum Kobane

Mazloum Kobane

SDF commander in chief

Latest News

Turkey, Armenia to launch direct trade in normalization push: What to know

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan shake hands before a meeting at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.

New Turkey maritime draft bill fuels EastMed tensions with Greece, Cyprus

The helicopter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lands on Abdulhamid Han drill ship, the fourth built by Turkey, in Mersin on Aug. 9, 2022, before being sent for gas exploration to an undisputed area in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Gazipasa.

Turkey's border reopening unlocks new sphere of influence in Syria

Turkish Red Crescent's cars and trucks cross the Turkish border as they leave the Syrian city of Tel Abyad on Oct. 19, 2019, in Akcakale, Turkey.

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

A general view of Khurmala oilfield in Arbil, 310 km (190 miles) north of Baghdad July 18, 2009. Iraq's largely autonomous Kurdistan region opened a new oil refinery on Saturday, with a projected capacity of 40,000 barrels per day (bpd), the director of the group that built the refinery said. REUTERS/Azad Lashkari (IRAQ BUSINESS ENERGY) - RTR25SW8

Turkey Contributes To Iraqi Fragmentation

Turkey’s relationship with the Kurdistan Regional Government may be undermining its long-term economic and energy interests in Iraq, writes Necdet Pamir.

The Leiv Eiriksson, an oil drilling platform, is escorted by tugboats as it enters the Bosphorus in Istanbul December 31, 2009. The deep-water platform, one of the world's largest drilling rigs, passed through the Bosphorus Strait as it entered the Black Sea where Turkey and Brazil will carry out joint oil explorations. In April, state-owned petroleum companies, Turkey's TPAO and Brazil's Petrobras, signed an agreement to search for oil in the Black Sea. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: ENERGY TRANSPORT

Turkey Launches Ship to SupportOffshore Energy Exploration

Turkey commits resources, including dedicated naval vessels, to preserve and protect its rights in its exclusive economic zone in the Eastern Mediterranean, writes Tulin Daloglu.

Former deputy Chief of the General Staff General Ergin Saygun (L) is escorted by police officers at a courthouse in Istanbul February 25, 2010. Turkey's political and military leaders meet on Thursday as a storm gathers over a coup plot investigation against the armed forces which is threatening stability and investor confidence in the EU-candidate country. The most senior detainees, retired Air Force Commander Ibrahim Firtina and ex-navy chief Ozden Ornek, are brought to the court for questioning on Thursd

Erdogan Visit Highlights Poor Health Care in Turkish Prisons

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to a hospital to see an army officer implicated in a coup attempt has drawn attention to the poor health care in Turkish prisons, writes Sibel Utku Bila.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu attends a foreign ministers meeting ahead of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Cairo February 4, 2013. The OIC summit will be held from February 6-7. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3DCET

Turkey's Syria Predicament

Cengiz Candar writes that Turkey cannot escape the consequences of the civil war in Syria.

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan (first row, C) attends a meeting with members of his ruling AK Party at his party headquarters in Ankara September 28, 2011. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTR2RXTQ

Turkey Needs Policies, Not Politics,In Dealing With the PKK

Tulin Daloglu argues that Turkey is ready for a settlement that will end PKK violence, but political posturing by the government does not help.

TURKISH PRIME MINISTER ERDOGAN APPLAUDS HIS ITALIAN COUNTERPART
BERLUSCONI GREETING NEWLY WED COUPLE IN ISTANBUL. - RTR1HX8

St. Valentine Woos Turkish Islamists

The new family-minded "Lovers Day," modeled on Valentine's Day, confirms that Turkey is not divided between cultures of the West and Islam but a breeding ground for mixtures of the two, writes Mustafa Akyol.

Turkey's EU Minister Egemen Bagis (L) and Sweden's Foreign Minister Carl Bildt hold a joint news conference at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm in this picture provided by Scanpix January 16, 2013. REUTERS/Claudio Bresciani/Scanpix (SWEDEN - Tags: POLITICS)

ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. SWEDEN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN SWEDEN. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RE

France-Turkey Relations Back On Track

The announcement that France has lifted some roadblocks to Turkey’s membership in the European Union signals that relations between the two countries are on a more positive track, writes Semih Idiz.

Turkey Committed, Frustrated With EU Process

Tulin Daloglu writes that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan could facilitate EU membership for Turkey by restraining from inflammatory rhetoric.

New Turkish Airlines Uniform: Eye of the Beholder

A proposal for new flight attendant uniforms on Turkish Airlines strikes some as too conservative, writes Tulin Daloglu.

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of parliament from his ruling AK Party during a meeting at the Turkish parliament in Ankara April 19, 2010. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR2D060

Erdogan Seeks Kurdish AlliesFor New Turkish Constitution

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is seeking allies to support a new Turkish constitution, writes Kadri Gursel.

Turkey's Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Syria's President Bashar al-Assad greets members of the media at Ciragan Palace in Istanbul May 9, 2010. REUTERS/Ibrahim Usta/Pool (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR2DNJR

Erdogan's Syria Policy: Wrong from the Start

Tulin Daloglu examines the origins of the Erdogan government's troubled Syria policies.

A Turkish soldier walks on the Turkish-Syrian border in Ceylanpinar, southern Sanliurfa province November 13, 2012. A Syrian warplane struck homes in the town of Ras al-Ain on Tuesday within sight of the Turkish border, pursuing an aerial bombardment to force out rebels, a Reuters witness and refugees said.The second day of jet strikes sent Syrians scurrying through the flimsy barbed-wire fence that divides Ras al-Ain from the Turkish settlement of Ceylanpinar, thick plumes of smoke rising above the town. R

Arrests, Resignations Plague Turkish Armed Forces

Ilnur Cevik writes that arrests, trials and resignations are undermining the efficiency of the Turkish Armed Forces.