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Turkey

Turkey

December 29, 2025

Ankara 10:29 pm

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A picture taken at the port of Dilovasi, outside Istanbul, on June 20, 2019, shows the drilling ship Yavuz scheduled to search for oil and gas off Cyprus.

Turkey eyes offshore energy pact with Syria in 2026 amid East Med isolation

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has offered up details on a deal with Syria that could unsettle regional rivals in the gas-rich Eastern Mediterranean.

This aerial view shows residents waving Somaliland flags as they gather to celebrate Israel's announcement recognizing Somaliland's statehood in downtown Hargeisa, on Dec. 26, 2025.

Somalia’s president heads to Turkey as Israel’s Somaliland recognition rattles region

The Somali leader’s visit comes amid a heightened Turkish-Israeli rivalry, fueled by Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, in the region and beyond.

Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Australian LNG deal marks latest step in Turkey's energy diversification push

Although Turkey does not have abundant oil and gas resources, Ankara wants to position itself as a regional gas hub linking Europe and Asia.

Latest News

Analysis

Turkey's defense sector enters 2026 with naval progress — and unresolved vulnerabilities

Turkish naval forces patrol vessel TCG F 500 and an unidentified submarine (back) sail during a military naval parade on the Bosphorus in Istanbul on Oct. 29, 2023.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Analysis

Eyeing Turkey, Netanyahu boosts Greece, Cyprus ties ahead of US visit

ABIR SULTAN / AFP via Getty Images

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

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

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (R) listens on as Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a joint press conference at al-Shaab palace in Damascus on Oct. 11, 2010.

'Normalization' with Assad is the new normal in Turkey

Comments by Turkey's foreign minister hinting at normalization with Damascus drove hundreds of Syrians across Turkish-occupied areas of northern Syria to stage demonstrations.

A man walks past a currency exchange office on May 05, 2022, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Money inflows of unknown origin headed for record in Turkey

As Turkey’s current account deficit continues to widen in the coming months, foreign currency inflows of unknown origin might end up covering more than 70% of the gap.

YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images

Tracker: ships carry grain from Ukraine to Middle East

Ships have left Ukraine for Turkey, Iran and elsewhere since the agreement between Ukraine and Russia on safe passage through the Black Sea.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu meets with his Armenian counterpart, Ararat Mirzoyan.

Turkish official says slow pace of Armenia normalization designed to avert disappointment

Ankara has said both sides are focused on confidence-building steps to be taken “one at a time.”

Turkey’s current account gap widens, with no respite in sight for the lira

The Turkish lira is likely to tumble further in the coming months as the country’s current account gap threatens to grow beyond $40 billion by the end of the year.

ALEXEY NIKOLSKY/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey makes peace bid with Chechen leader

As Ankara finesses relations with Moscow, top Turkish officials have quietly met with Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov after years of chill marked by a string of murders of Chechen exiles in Turkey.

Pervin Chakar

Kurdish diva brokenhearted but resolute in face of language discrimination in Turkey

The "brutal" quashing of Kurdishness in Turkey continues to be state policy — even in entertainment.

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

Russia offers Erdogan economic lifeline

Gas payments in rubles will help Turkey reduce its foreign-currency demand.

The Turkey-flagged Abdulhamid Han.

Fourth Turkish drilling ship begins energy exploration in Mediterranean

Past Turkish energy exploration activities took place in waters claimed by Greece and Cyprus, leading to significant tensions.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Erdogan asks Turkish diplomats to fight Islamaphobia

Turkey’s president, long criticized for sidelining and politicizing Turkey’s foreign service, is urging ambassadors to do their best to ensure that Turks abroad can participate in upcoming elections.

Turkish activists and opposition members gather with pictures of victims — largely from the Alevi community — killed in Madimak Otel on July 2, 2018, in Sivas.

Attacks on Alevi places of worship rattle Turkey

The AKP government, which faces an uphill battle to mend ties with the Alevi community ahead of next year’s elections, pledges to bring culprits to justice.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) during a meeting in Sochi, on Aug. 5, 2022.

At summit, Erdogan, Putin still divided on Syria

Ankara agreed that part of its natural gas payments to Moscow would be switched to rubles.