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Turkey

Turkey

April 28, 2026

Ankara 5:00 pm

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Turkey's submarines and fast-attack craft ships participate in the live-fire phase of the Blue Homeland-2026 (Mavi Vatan) tactical military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in Antalya on April 9, 2026.

Turkey’s military spending jumps to $30B, leads Mideast growth in 2025

Newly released data shows Ankara’s military spending hit $30 billion, while Saudi Arabia remained the region’s top spender and Israel’s outlays declined in 2025.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the margins of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, on April 17, 2026.

Analysis

Why Saudi Arabia, Egypt are wary of Turkey’s proposed 4-way defense pact with Pakistan

The proposed framework faces major hurdles and fault lines, ranging from NATO constraints to Israeli opposition and weak military integration.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

CORLU, TURKEY- MARCH 2: A B model of Bayraktar AKINCI TİHA (Assault Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in the sky on March 2, 2022 in Corlu, Turkey. (Photo by Baykar Press Office/dia images via Getty Images)

Turkey’s Baykar tests K2 swarm kamikaze drones for first time: What to know

Baykar tested its K2 and new loitering drones, featuring AI-driven swarm capabilities and the ability to operate under GPS jamming.

Latest News

Trump envoy Barrack’s embrace of 'strong leaders' sparks fury in Turkey

US Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack attends a meeting with President Donald Trump and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office at the White House on Sept. 25, 2025, in Washington, DC.

How Syria's border opening with Iraq redefines Turkey-Kurd balance

Members of Iraq's security forces stand guard on the the al-Rabia border crossing with Syria on April 20, 2026.

Analysis

Italy’s TB3 drone deal signals turn toward Turkey amid US-NATO tensions

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shake hands during the press conference following their meeting at Villa Doria Pamphilj, on April 29, 2025, in Rome, Italy.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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

TOPSHOT - People clash with Turkish police ahead of the funeral of Turkish lawyer Ebru Timtik in the Gazi District of Istanbul on August 28, 2020. - A Turkish lawyer seeking a fair trial after being charged with membership of a terrorist organisation has died in an Istanbul hospital on the 238th day of her hunger strike. Friends said Ebru Timtik weighed just 30 kilogrammes (65 pounds) at the time of her death late August 27, which has sparked condemnation from opposition parties in Turkey as well as from a

Ankara accused of weaponizing pandemic measures against opposition

The Turkish government is accused of abusing pandemic restrictions to suppress the opposition and advance its own political agenda.

The Baghdad international airport is pictured following its reopening on July 23, 2020, after a closure forced by the coronavirus pandemic restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of the deadly COVID-19 illness in Iraq. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP via Getty Images)

Flights between Turkey, Iraq suspended another month

Flights between the two countries won't resume before Oct. 1 amid reports of rising coronavirus cases.

Opposition lawmaker assaulted after Turkey’s interior minister targets him on Twitter

Turkish Workers’ Party member Baris Atay was attacked by a group of men when he exited a restaurant in Istanbul. The TiP reports that the "health condition of our comrade Barıs is good."

Turkey’s ‘city hospitals’ threaten a financial black hole

Turkey’s controversial “city hospitals” threaten to swallow up billions of dollars in public money by the time their 25-year contracts with the government end.

(L to R) Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, and Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Ali Hakim meet in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on August 4, 2019. (Photo by SABAH ARAR / AFP) (Photo credit should read SABAH ARAR/AFP via Getty Images)

Egypt sends signal to Turkey by deepening ties with Jordan, Iraq

Amid accelerated regional threats and economic repercussions in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, a tripartite summit was held between the leaders of Egypt, Jordan and Iraq Aug. 25 to develop a security, diplomatic and economic bloc.

Turkish human rights lawyer dies after hunger strike

Ebru Timtik died on the 238th day of her strike, which she launched to draw attention to what rights groups have described as an unfair trial.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (L) poses with the President of the Libyan Supreme Council of State Khalid Al-Mishri prior to a meeting in Libya's capital Tripoli, on August 6, 2020. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey’s militarized Africa opening fuels influence wars

The rivalry between Turkey and its regional adversaries has spilled over to the Horn of Africa and other regions in the continent beyond Libya, stoked by Ankara’s militarization of its outreach policy.

Exiled former senior Fatah member Mohammed Dahlan attends a Palestinian legislative Council meeting in Gaza City through video conference from the United Arab Emirates on July 27, 2017 following developments at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Palestinians were set to return to pray at a sensitive Jerusalem holy site after Israeli authorities removed controversial new security measures, potentially ending a nearly two-week crisis that sparked deadly unrest. Dahlan, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's exiled r

Turkey tries to settle scores with Palestinian leader backed by the UAE

Interpol recently rejected Turkey’s request to arrest dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan, who is currently in the United Arab Emirates, but analysts believe this will not stop Ankara from pursuing Dahlan through other means.

United Arab Emirates

Turkey’s tilt toward Pakistan provokes India’s ire

An Indian intelligence reports sees Turkey as becoming a hub for anti-India activities second only to Pakistan.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MAY 29: In this aerial photo taken with a drone, Turkish drilling vessel 'Fatih' sails up the Bosphorus towards the Black Sea on May 29, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

Turkey plans new naval drills in eastern Mediterranean

The Turkish navy will hold live-fire exercises in the eastern Mediterranean next week amid rising tensions with Greece.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives for a press conference following the weekly cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on August 24, 2020. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Is Erdogan trying to split NATO with his East Med gambit?

Confronted with various problems at home, including deepening financial woes, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan resorts to aggressive and expansionist foreign policy moves to consolidate his support base through fueling nationalism.

TOPSHOT - Turkish troops parade in the northern part of Nicosia, the capital of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on July 20, 2020, to mark the 46th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus in 1974. - The republic was created after Turkey invaded northern Cyprus in 1974 following a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at uniting the east Mediterranean island with Greece. Cyprus has remained divided since. (Photo by Birol BEBEK / AFP) (Photo by BIROL BEBEK/AFP via Getty Images)

How much does Erdogan’s 'coercive diplomacy' benefit Turkey?

If mishandled, Turkey’s threats of military action could trigger an uncontrolled escalation, leaving Ankara facing difficult choices.