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Turkey

Turkey

May 18, 2026

Ankara 12:26 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

People watch as Scarabeo 9, a 115-meter-long and 78-meter-high Frigstad D90-type semi-submersible drilling rig, passes on the Bosphorus Strait en route to the Black Sea in Istanbul on August 29, 2019. - The semi-submersible drilling rig is owned and operated by Italian oil and gas industry contractor Saipem and registered in Nassau, Bahamas. (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP) (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey announces major natural gas discovery in Black Sea

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the discovery of 320 billion cubic meters of natural gas will help Turkey reduce its reliance on foreign energy supplies.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - AUGUST 29: People walk past a currency exchange office on August 29, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkey's lira extended its slump to a third day to 6.45 against the dollar after the central bank announced it would alter Turkish banks borrowing limits on overnight transactions, the move failed to reassure investors and combined with the decision by ratings agency Moody's to downgrade the credit rating of twenty Turkish financial institutions saw the lira continue to slide. (Photo by Chris

Family silver next in line in Turkey’s debt crunch

The hefty external debt of Turkey’s public and private sectors is increasingly imposing the option to offer asset swaps to creditors, including company shares and valuable real estate.

Turkish Central Bank Governor Murat Uysal speaks at the "Briefing on 2020-3 Inflation Report" meeting in Ankara, Turkey on July 29, 2020. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Opting for backdoor measures, Turkey’s Central Bank holds interest rate steady

Turkey’s Central Bank left a key interest rate unchanged in favor of liquidity measures Thursday in what analysts described as a “missed opportunity” to send a positive signal to the markets.

A woman wearing a face mask raises her fist in Ankara, on August 5, 2020, during a demonstration to demand the government does not withdraw from the Istanbul Conventio, a landmark treaty, on preventing domestic violence. - The protests were the biggest in recent weeks as anger grows over the rising number of women killed by men in the past decade since the Istanbul Convention. The treaty's official title is the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic viol

Turkey's 'hedonist' singles become new target of AKP heavyweight

Numan Kurtulmus, deputy chair of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party who opened a Pandora’s box on the Istanbul Convention, has come under fire once more for remarks on “over hedonist singles.”

Turkey banks on military drones to extend power, regional clout

The “dronization” of Turkey’s power projection abroad continues with a new unmanned aerial vehicle that Ankara plans to use against PKK militants in Iraq and Syria as well as in brewing regional conflicts.

Turkish foreign minister visits Venezuela

Mevlut Cavusoglu's trip is notable given US sanctions on Venezuela. Turkey previously sent medical aid to the South American country.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - AUGUST 05: Women chant slogans and wave signs during a demonstration for the prevention of violence against women on August 05, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. Women's rights groups staged simultaneous protests in various Turkish cities in support of the Istanbul Convention on domestic violence against women. The Istanbul Convention is an international agreement for the prevention of violence against women. Forty six countries signed the agreement started by the European Council in 2011. Turk

Outrage at violence unites women across Turkey's ideological divide

Turkish women across political and ideological divides are united in anger over news that an abduction and rape victim has died.

Turkish police officers and paramedics inspect a restaurant as new measures are enforced to fight against the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), in Ankara on August 6, 2020. - Following the "Coronavirus Inspections" orders sent by Interior Ministry to governorships, inspections were carried out in marketplaces, workplaces, markets, public transportation vehicles, shopping areas, restaurants, cafeterias and taxis. Turkey has expressed concern over the rising number of coronavirus cases as the daily infection toll

Doctors warn Turkish outbreak 'out of control' as COVID-19 cases pass 250,000

The government says inspections of businesses will be increased to ensure enforcement rules on masks and physical distancing as the country battles more than 1,000 new cases a day.

Turkish President and the leader of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) and leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahceli stand on stage during a joint election rally of People's Alliance for the upcoming local elections in Ankara, Turkey, on March 23, 2019. - Turkish will cast their ballots for local elections on March 31, 2019. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Why Erdogan must expand his ultranationalist alliances

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s growing dependency on Gray Wolves may mean more trouble for the Kurds and political dissidents in Europe, while increasing risks for Syrian refugees inside Turkey.

US Vice President Joe Biden (L)attends a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey on the sidelines of the nuclear summit in Washington, DC, on March 31, 2016. / AFP / ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS (Photo credit should read ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey takes aim at Biden after old comments on Erdogan resurface

Turkish politicians are expressing outrage over presumptive US presidential candidate Joe Biden calling for the Turkish president's ouster back in December, likely because Recep Tayyip Erdogan is using them to whip up nationalist fervor against the United States.

What's next for Turkish-Iraqi ties after deadly drone strike?

The killing of Iraqi border guards in a Turkish drone strike undermines Baghdad’s traditional flexibility toward Ankara at a time when Turkey’s Arab adversaries are seeking to draw Iraq to their side.

Demonstrators wave Turkish and Palestinian flags during a rally at Yenikap? Square, in Istanbul, to protest against the US-made peace plan, also known as the Agreement of the Century,on Februay 9, 2020. (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP) (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey threatens to cut ties with UAE over Israel normalization as feud continues

Turkey and the UAE disagree on the Turkey-Kurdish conflict, Libya, drilling in the eastern Mediterranean and more.