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

Turkey

Turkey

August 25, 2026

Ankara 12:40 pm

27°C

A Turkish soldier from the 1st Border Regiment Command looks out over the border wall to Syria during alert drills at a military outpost on the Turkey/Syria border on March 2, 2017 in Kilis, Turkey.

Analysis

Why Turkey sees Israeli strikes in Syria as warning over its military role, Mecca Pact

Ankara views Israel’s latest strikes in Syria as part of a broader effort to curb Turkey’s military influence in Damascus and a challenge to its regional defense partnerships.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Turkey/Syria border

Analysis

Turkey bets on US deconfliction as Israel widens Syria red lines

As Washington pushes a new deconfliction mechanism between Turkey and Israel, the Jewish state shows little incentive to accept tighter constraints on its freedom of action in Syria, experts say.

Ezgi Akin

Rina Bassist

By Ezgi Akin , Rina Bassist

Latest News

Analysis

Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them

ANKARA, TURKEY - JULY 7: U.S. President Donald Trump (L)shakes hands with with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) during a formal arrival at the Bestepe Presidential Palace during the NATO summit on July 7, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Emrah Gurel - Pool/Getty Images)

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Turkey seeks Interpol Red Notices for Netanyahu over Gaza flotilla

Murat Kocabas / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

Turkey signals restraint as war of words with Israel escalates over Syria

Burhaanettin Duran

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

EU Council President Charles Michel (R) arrives with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the EU headquarters in Brussels on March 9, 2020. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP) (Photo by JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images)

Is Turkey ready to join European Union as Erdogan jump-starts its bid?

In line with its founding father Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s vision, Turkey had historically positioned itself as a part of the Europe. Erdogan’s unexpected push may lead to some progress in certain avenues, experts and observers believe.

President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R).

Erdogan’s NATO moves agitate Russia but don’t spell Turkey's sharp shift to West

The Turkish leader is navigating Ankara’s relationships in ways that he believes best benefit Turkey’s interests and above all his own political survival.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey's Erdogan anticipates 'serious investments' from Gulf ahead of visit

Ahead of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Gulf tour which will include Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, Ankara is working to maximize economic cooperation with regional states in a bid to ease its foreign currency crunch.

Turkey NATO

Analysis

Turkey's F-16s in doubt after Erdogan says no Sweden vote before October

The Biden administration's planned sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey could hinge on when the Turkish parliament chooses to ratify Sweden's accession.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

This photo taken on July 10, 2012, in Ankara shows people at a traditional "doner" fast food restaurant. In Turkey 35% of the population has accumulated excess body fat to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. The Turkish health ministry has launched a campaign calling on Turks to be more active. AFP PHOTO/ADEM ALTAN (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/GettyImages)

Bahrain, Turkey are Middle East's biggest eaters: Oxford rankings

Bahrain and Turkey are listed among the top eaters globally, while daily calorie consumption in war-ridden Yemen stands behind the recommended level.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the opening high-level session of the 2023 NATO Summit on July 11, 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Turkey unlikely to ratify Sweden’s NATO entry before October, says Erdogan

The comments clearly signal that the drama over Sweden’s accession is not over, and Turkey's push to overcome Congressional sanctions and acquire F-16 fighter jets remains the main sticking point.

Turkish minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Simsek,(L) speaks with minister of Energy and Natural Resourcesand Alparslan Bayraktar,(R) during the group meeting of Justice and Development (AK) Party at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara, on June 21, 2023. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey's finance, banking chiefs to visit Saudi Arabia in search of foreign funds

The Saudi visit of Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek and Central Bank Governor Gaye Erkan is expected to be followed by the Turkish President's Gulf tour.

JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images

US to advance Turkey's F-16 sales as Sweden's NATO bid moves forward

US Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says he is in talks with the administration on F-16 sales as the Turkish and US presidents met today.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Tehran, Iran, July 19, 2022.

Russia asks Turkey for 'clarification' over Ukraine's Azov prisoner release

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also implicitly criticizes Turkey’s sale of Bayraktar drones to Ukraine.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Turkey greenlights Sweden's NATO membership ahead of critical summit

Turkey’s president has suggested that Ankara’s stalled membership talks with the European Union be revived in exchange for greenlighting Sweden’s NATO accession to the ahead of a key summit in Vilnius.

This aerial photograph shows the construction of the Russian-built Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Mersin province, Turkey, April 26, 2023.

Turkey says talks with China, Russia, South Korea underway for new nuclear plants

Turkey's energy minister also said his country was in talks with France for the independent oversight of the Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Mersin which is being built by Russia's Rosatom.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L), UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan (C) and Manchester City's Emirati owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan (R) attend the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, on June 10, 2023. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey's Erdogan revs up diplomacy with focus on Syria, Gulf funds

After the president's reelection, Turkish diplomacy has found a new impetus in cementing ties with the Arab world, driven in part by Ankara’s hopes of attracting Gulf funds to prop up its ailing economy.