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Turkey

Turkey

July 7, 2026

Ankara 6:15 am

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Analysis

As it hosts NATO, Turkey eyes France's SAMP/T system, F-35 progress with Trump

Turkey is set to host NATO leaders as doubts over US commitment linger prompting Ankara to seeks its own defense deals with Paris and Washington.

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

ABIR SULTAN / AFP via Getty Images

Israel, Greece conduct military drills ahead of NATO summit in Turkey

Photos published by the Greek military showed fighter jets from both countries flying side by side over the Aegean Sea.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech after a signing ceremony with Libyan Government of National Unity prime minister at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, on April 12, 2021.

Analysis

In Libya, maritime dispute could complicate Turkey’s backing of US unity push

Turkey and the US increasingly share an interest in stabilizing Libya through a Tripoli-Benghazi power-sharing deal, though their alignment may hinge on the durability of any such deal and Washington's stance on Ankara's disputed 2019 maritime agreement.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Latest News

Culture

Turkish standup comic detained after act calling Erdogan 'dictator' goes viral

A screenshot of one of Deniz Goktas' standup routines posted to YouTube.

Turkish jets strike al-Shabab targets in Somalia: What to know

Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud speaks during the launch of an offshore energy exploration at the port in Mogadishu on April 10, 2026.

Explainer

Turkey eases job rules for 1M+ Syrians under temporary protection: What to know

Syrian textile employees work in a textile workshop in Gaziantep, Turkey, on Jan. 30, 2025.

Turkey, Azerbaijan slam Israel’s Armenian genocide recognition as Yerevan mum

KAREN MINASYAN / AFP via Getty Images

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

An unidentified defendant waves out of a van as he's driven to a courthouse in Silivri, where a hearing for people charged with attempting to overthrow Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's Islamist-rooted government is due to take place, August 5, 2013. A Turkish court on Monday began sentencing nearly 300 defendants accused of plotting to overthrow the government, handing prison sentences of up to 20 years to some and acquitting 21 others. The court was announcing the verdicts individually. Verdicts on high-pro

Ergenekon Verdicts Mark Milestone for Turkish Democracy

With the Ergenekon verdicts, Turkey is taking a very critical step on the path to true democracy.

Free Syrian Army fighters sit together with Syrian Kurdish fighters inside a house in Ashrafieh, Aleppo August 5, 2013. The Syrian opposition flag (L) hangs next to the Kurdish flag on the wall behind. REUTERS/Aref Hretani (SYRIA - Tags: CONFLICT POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTX12B7O

Kurdish Civilians Fear Reprisals in Northern Syria

Syrian Kurdish opposition groups claim rebel forces may be targeting Kurdish civilians.

A Kurdish fighter from the Popular Protection Units (YPG) holds his weapon as he takes position atop a building with a YPG flag in Aleppo's Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood, June 7, 2013. Kurdish fighters from the YPG joined the Free Syrian Army to fight against forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad. Picture taken June 7, 2013. REUTERS/Muzaffar Salman (SYRIA - Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS CONFLICT) - RTX10USX

Border Clashes Confront Turkey With 'Afghanistan of the Levant'

Clashes adjacent to Turkey's border with Syria have the potential of causing a lot of headache for Turkey, not only for their security implications but also for the international image of Turkey and the country's relations with allies, primarily the United States.

Prince Bandar bin Sultan (R), secretary-general of Saudi Arabia's National Security Council, and Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin enter a hall for a signing ceremony in Moscow July 14, 2008. Picture taken July 14, 2008. RUSSIA/RIA Novosti/Alexei Druzhinin/Pool (RUSSIA) - RTX7XR3

Russia Considers Saudi Angle in Syria

The visit of Bandar bin Sultan, director-general of Saudi Arabia's intelligence agency, to Moscow last month was all about Syria.

A worker fixes a giant portrait of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk at the top of the Ataturk Cultural Center in Istanbul's Taksim Square June 28, 2013. REUTERS/Osman Orsal (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTX114YL

Turkey at Post-Kemalist Crossroads

Turkey is going through a post-Kemalist transition with problems and habits of the former region still prevailing.

What to Wear in Tehran: The Evolution of Islamic Chic

The once-drab Iranian hijab has blossomed into colorful and figure-hugging styles that satisfy the letter if not the spirit of Islamic law.

Gay rights activists carry a rainbow flag during a protest at Taksim Square in Istanbul June 23, 2013. REUTERS/Marko Djurica (TURKEY - Tags: CIVIL UNREST SOCIETY) - RTX10Y6Y

Murder, Menace Stalk Istanbul's LGBT Community

A transgender woman was recently strangled to death in her house, leading the LGBT community in Istanbul to push harder than ever for hate-crime legislation.

A man sprays water on supporters of deposed Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi, as they shout slogans during a protest at the Rabaa Adawiya square where they are camping, in Cairo August 2, 2013. Tens of thousands of supporters of Mursi marched through Cairo on Friday, demanding Mursi's reinstatement amidst a looming threat that Egyptian authorities will clear out two pro-Mursi sit-ins with force. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTX128JA

Obama Administration Navigates New Egypt

Al-Monitor’s coverage and analysis of Egypt.

A billboard advertising the TV series "The Magnificent Century" is seen after being damaged by eggs thrown by pro-Islamic protesters in Istanbul January 9, 2011. A steamy television period drama about a 16th century sultan has angered conservative Muslims in Turkey and sparked a debate over the portrayal of the past in a country rediscovering its Ottoman heritage. "The Magnificent Century" chronicles the life of Suleiman the Magnificent, who ruled the Ottoman Empire during its golden age, showing a young an

Is Turkey's 'Magnificent Century' A Threat or Asset?

How Turkey's "Magnificent Century" soap opera, depicting the life and times of an Ottoman sultan, has managed to draw both fans and critics from the country's neighbors.

A riot police officer orders a news photographer to move away during an anti-government protest in central Istanbul July 28, 2013. REUTERS/Osman Orsal (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTX12327

More Troubling News For Turkish Media’s Independence

Can Dundar, veteran journalist of Milliyet daily, is fired under government pressure.

Women attend Friday prayers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at the courtyard of Sultanahmet mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, in Istanbul July 12, 2013. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: RELIGION) - RTX11KYO

Erdogan’s Crisis With Pregnant Women

A remark by a supporter of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) has created a domestic political crisis for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

A trader reads a newspaper with the headline that reads "AK Party Term", during the morning session at the Istanbul Stock Exchange June 13, 2011. Turkish stocks rose on Monday after Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party won Sunday's parliamentary election to secure a third term of single-party rule. The AK Party won 50 percent of the vote to give Erdogan a third consecutive term. But the AK Party's parliamentary majority slipped, as it won 326 seats, down from 331 in the previous assembly. REUTERS/Murad

Turkish Media Drifting Toward an Abyss

The crisis at Sabah and Milliyet, two of Turkey’s flagship newpapers, has deepened under persistent political pressure, sounding the alarm for the country’s media.