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

Turkey

Turkey

June 12, 2026

Ankara 12:04 am

21°C

Cyprus' President Nikos Christodoulides (2nd L) and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron (C) review the honor guard at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia on April 23, 2026, ahead of a meeting on the sidelines of a European summit.

Explainer

Turkey slams France-Cyprus military pact as East Med rivalries deepen

Ankara says a defense deal between France and the Republic of Cyprus risks upsetting the island’s delicate balance, as defense ties among Cyprus, Greece, Israel and France deepen.

Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile launching system is displayed at the exposition field in Kubinka Patriot Park outside Moscow on Aug. 22, 2017 during the first day of the International Military-Technical Forum Army-2017.

Analysis

As Trump admin drops Halkbank case, S-400 last big hurdle in US-Turkey ties

The move eases a key source of friction with Turkey ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Latest News

Explainer

Turkey-Israel tensions flare over Syria, Lebanon, East Med: What to know

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan buttons up his jacket during a press conference after the conclusion of the G20 Leaders' Summit at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg on November 23, 2025.

Explainer

Turkey names new envoys to Iran, Oman, Qatar in regional reshuffle

Aamir QURESHI / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Turkey's probe into pro-secular tycoon goes beyond crude Kurdish joke

Rahmi Koc

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

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

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives to speak during the 2019 United Nations Climate Action Summit at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 23, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri - HP1EF9N1IMCZ4

Erdogan calls for unity as parliament begins new legislative year

As Turkey’s Grand National Assembly convenes, lawmakers and pundits are buzzing about shifting political alliances, new parties and even the possibility of early elections.

Kurdish fighters from the People's Protection Units (YPG) run across a street in Raqqa, Syria July 3, 2017. REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC1F9D39A050

Looming dilemma for the US: Disarm the YPG or not?

The Trump administration has to decide whether it will disarm the Syrian Democratic Forces and the People's Protection Units to assuage Turkey.

Islamic State's money transfer network busted in Turkey

A Turkish police operation exposed how the Islamic State can still run cross-border money transfer networks despite its defeat in Syria and Iraq.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - DECEMBER 11: Member of the International Peace and Reconciliation Initiative (IPRI) delegation to Turkey Osman Kavala is seen during a joint press conference with Chair of the Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left at the European Parliament Gabriele Zimmer, Chair of IPRI Judge Essa Moosa, French politician Francis Wurtz and Chair of the EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) Kariane Westrheim after 11th International Conference on the European Union, Turkey, the M

Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala spends 700th day behind bars

The prominent civil society figure marks 700 days in prison this week during his trial for allegedly plotting against the government, a charge worth life without possibility of parole.

Sarphan Finans Park (L), a project as part of the Istanbul Finance Center in the city's new business and residential district of Atasehir, is pictured from a helicopter in Istanbul, Turkey March 29, 2016. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo - GF10000397179

Turkey’s wealth fund borrows to rescue companies

Having borrowed 1 billion euros from foreign lenders, Turkey’s controversial sovereign wealth fund has turned to rescuing troubled construction companies.

US embassy charge d'affaires Jeffrey Hovenier (L) leaves the Caglayan courthouse on May 15, 2019, in Istanbul, after US consular staffer Metin Topuz was ordered to remain in custody after the latest hearing in his trial on espionage charges -- part of a growing rift between Washington and Ankara. - Topuz was arrested in 2017 and accused of contacts with police and a prosecutor suspected of ties to US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara says ordered an attempted coup in 2016. (Photo by Bulent

Intel: How Congress is trying to get US prisoners out of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 24, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid - HP1EF9O186P9I

Erdogan's Syria plan: Resettling the Syrian refugees or ousting Kurds from their land?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks in United Nations indicate that Turkey has dangerous intentions about the east of Euphrates.

Will Idlib’s displaced return under government pressure?

The Syrian regime is accusing the opposition of preventing the return of the displaced in northern Hama through the recently opened Abu al-Duhur crossing.

Office workers gather after fleeing their buildings in the Maslak District of Istanbul on September 26, 2019, following an earthquake in the city. - A 5.7-magnitude earthquake shook Turkey's largest city, driving residents to evacuate buildings, AFP journalists witnessed. (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP) (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images)

5.8 magnitude earthquake rattles Istanbul

An earthquake shook Istanbul today in a powerful reminder of the city's vulnerability to quakes and other natural disasters.

Is Iran-Turkey rapprochement sustainable?

As Turkey and Iran's interests align their cooperation is expanding, but their newfound friendship won't last unless their potential for rivalry is curtailed.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds up a map as he addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 24, 2019. REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid - HP1EF9O181E99

Erdogan pushes Syrian safe zone at UN

As many as three million refugees could be settled in northeast Syria if Turkey establishes a buffer zone along its border, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told world leaders at the United Nations summit, though a meeting to persuade US President Donald Trump did not materialize.

People hold placards prepared by Reporters Without Borders as they attend a demonstration organised for journalists detained in Turkey in front of the Berlin's main railway station, during the visit of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in Berlin, Germany, September 28, 2018. REUTERS/Christian Mang - RC1CDC76C5D0

Kurdish journalist gets 14 years in Turkey, others await similar fate

Despite flimsy evidence and opaque proceedings, today was a terrible day in court for several Turkish journalists.