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

Turkey

Turkey

September 5, 2026

Ankara 1:25 am

21°C

Ibrahim Kalin, Turkish presidential spokesperson, gives a press conference at the Presidential Complex, Ankara, May 25, 2022.

Turkey and Greece's intelligence chiefs hold rare talks: What to know

The meeting comes after Turkey recently warned Greece over what it called an arms race in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

US sanctions Turkey-based bank over Iran ties

The Treasury Department said Golden Global Bank was facilitating transactions for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Mecca Alliance

Israel, Greece sign $3.5 billion air-defense deal: What to know

Against the backdrop of growing tensions with Turkey, Israel signed one of its largest-ever defense industry deals to supply Greece with advanced air defense systems.

Mecca Alliance

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan set Mecca Alliance into motion

The three countries are moving to formalize military coordination under the newly named Mecca Alliance amid renewed hostilities between Iran and the US.

Latest News

Analysis

Why Turkey welcomes Israel-Syria talks despite mounting red lines

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrive for a joint press conference following their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Feb. 4, 2025.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Culture

In divided Cyprus, FC Barcelona youth camp sparks new dispute: What to know

Barcelona

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

A youth breaks a window as men smash up shops and homes believed to be owned by Syrian families.

Syrian refugees recount harassment, abuse in Turkey

Syrian refugees in Turkey are living in constant fear among rising attacks, while the Turkish government increases restrictions on them.

People queue to buy olive oil, which is sold cheaply by the Agricultural Products Office, Ankara, Turkey, Feb. 17, 2022.

Egypt, Turkey hold firm on interest rates

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is adamantly opposed to raising interest rates, but some observers expected Egypt to raise rates in line with Gulf banks and the US Federal Reserve.

An employee packs bread at a bakery on March 23, 2022, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey says no evidence Ukrainian grains stolen by Russia reached its shores

Turkey is being lobbied by the UK to discuss the safe shipping of Ukrainian grain due to looming global shortages but denies any has reached its ports.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) and Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid (L).

Israeli FM Lapid gets warm welcome in Ankara

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid is the latest regional leader to be greeted in Ankara as Turkey takes a fresh approach to its regional ties.

NATO

NATO blinks as Turkey maintains threats to block Sweden, Finland from alliance

Turkey's strategy in blocking Sweden's and Finland’s NATO memberships could soon start to pay off.

Umit Ozdag, leader of the nationalist Victory Party, gestures as he speaks to the media after police blocked his attempt to challenge the Turkish interior minister to a public face-off, in front of the Ministry of the Interior, Ankara, Turkey, May 6, 2022.

Is this Turkish anti-immigrant party helping Erdogan?

Critics argue that anti-immigrant Victory Party’s leader Umit Ozdag’s opposition has benefited President Recep Tayyip Erdogan so far.

Turkey economy

Currency shocks, wild inflation mark Erdogan’s time as executive president

Turkey’s currency has lost 73% of its value against the dollar since Erdogan assumed sweeping executive powers in 2018 and remains prone to fresh shocks amid growing economic fragilities.

Turkey Saudi Arabia

Erdogan, MBS embrace "new era” for Turkish-Saudi ties in Ankara

Saudi prince's state visit represents economic and regional necessities for Turkey, even as the murder of Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia's Istanbul consulate remains unresolved.

Bermuda-flagged luxury yacht "My Solaris" belonging to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

US deputy treasury secretary in Turkey to warn against evading Russian sanctions

In a visit to Ankara Wednesday, US Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo plans to remind Turkey that anyone evading US sanctions against Russia will be held accountable.

Erdogan

Analysis

How Turkey's opposition to Sweden, Finland joining NATO could backfire

It seems Turkey will continue to block Finland and Sweden’s memberships at the upcoming NATO summit, but Ankara is now signaling its lack of interest in strengthening the alliance.

Cengiz Candar

By Cengiz Candar

Turkey protest

Turkish journalists, free speech advocates protest draft bill

Turkish press unions organized nationwide rallies Tuesday to protest the likely passage of a so-called disinformation bill. They worry that jail sentences of up to three years for spreading fake news could be applied to any news the government disapproves of.

Stoltenberg

No breakthrough in Turkey’s talks with Sweden, Finland over joining NATO

Discussions between Turkey, Finland and Sweden about the Nordic countries' proposed NATO membership have ended inconclusively as Ankara showed no signs of abandoning its hardline position.