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Turkey

July 9, 2026

Ankara 12:10 am

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Trump 'undecided' on Turkey's F-35s as Congress seeks answers on S-400

Top Democratic lawmakers say the ball is in Ankara’s court on rejoining the US-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, but suggest that Turkey offshoring its Russian-made S-400 system won’t be enough.

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (R) shakes hands with Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian during his visit in Yerevan on July 19, 2025. (Photo by KAREN MINASYAN / AFP) (Photo by KAREN MINASYAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Feature

Armenia's Pashinyan keeps Iran close while wooing Trump, Turkey and Azerbaijan

As Yerevan pursues normalization with Turkey and Azerbaijan and backs a US-led transport corridor, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is working to reassure an increasingly assertive Iran that its interests won't be threatened.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (not shown) for bilateral talks at Beştepe Presidential Compound during the NATO Summit on July 08, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Trump declares MoU with Iran 'over' as Hegseth cancels trip to Israel

Trump said diplomacy with Tehran was “a waste of time” after renewed attacks around Hormuz, as US defense chief reportedly cancels Israel visit.

Latest News

Explainer

Why Trump bid to lift CAATSA sanctions on Turkey faces complicated path

US President Donald Trump walks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a state arrival ceremony at the Bestepe Presidential Complex for the annual NATO Summit on July 7, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey.

Analysis

Trump's F-35 push for Turkey runs into CAATSA — and Israel

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) welcomes US President Donald Trump (R) upon his arrival on Air Force One at Etimesgut Air Base near Ankara, on July 7, 2026, before attending the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

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

Canada, Turkey launch free trade talks on NATO summit sidelines

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney (R) is welcomed by Turkey's Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek upon arrival at Esenboga Airport to attend the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit in Ankara on July 7, 2026. (Photo by Muhammed Abdullah Kurtar / POOL / 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

A general view of Nizip refugee camp, near the Turkish-Syrian border in Gaziantep province, Turkey, November 30, 2016. REUTERS/Umit Bektas - RC1EA9753170

Erdogan touts grand plans to resettle Syrian refugees in safe zone

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims a safe zone in northeast Syria could be used to resettle up to three million refugees currently in Turkey and Europe, but critics doubt his proposal is feasible.

Has Erdogan revealed Ankara’s occupational goals?

Syrian Kurds and Armenians fear a Turkish-run safe zone east of the Euphrates, particularly since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had threatened to establish a military safe zone east of the Euphrates and labels the Kurdish People's Protection Units as terrorists.

Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia, Hassan Rouhani of Iran and Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey attend a news conference following their talks in Ankara, Turkey September 16, 2019. Sputnik/Alexei Nikolsky/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC1179072220

What the latest Astana summit tells us about Iran’s position on Syria

Russia, Iran and Turkey continue to negotiate a settlement to the Syrian war that works to their advantage.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen during trilateral talks with his counterparts Hassan Rouhani of Iran and Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey in Ankara, Turkey September 16, 2019. Sputnik/Valery Melnikov/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC1A1133AD90

Intel: What’s behind Putin’s arms sale proposal to Saudis

Putin's offer of defense missile systems for the Saudis was political but there's more to this in the runup to his visit to Riyadh.

Supporters of main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) hold a banner with pictures of four former ministers while shouting anti-government slogans during a protest in Ankara December 17, 2014. Main opposition CHP held an anti-government protest in Ankara on the first anniversary of the corruption probe, which became public with police raids on Dec. 17 last year, leading to the resignation of three ministers and prompted Erdogan to purge the state apparatus, reassigning thousands of police and hundred

Don't read too much into Turkey's gag order reversal, warn free press advocates

Turkey’s highest court has struck down a reporting ban surrounding a 2013 corruption probe, but some human rights defenders warn the win for press freedom may prove minor.

Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia, Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Hassan Rouhani of Iran chat following a joint news conference in Ankara, Turkey, September 16, 2019. REUTERS/Umit Bektas - RC1EF10953B0

How latest Astana talks between Turkey, Russia, Iran went beyond Syria

What the Astana guarantors agreed upon in Ankara will have implications for Syria but the way the leaders communicated past each other each is even more telling.

The leader of Turkey's pro-Kurdish opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Selahattin Demirtas, makes a speech during a rally in Istanbul, Turkey, June 5, 2016. REUTERS/Osman Orsal - D1BETIDULRAB

Lawyers urge Turkish court to free top Kurdish politician

A Turkish appeals court has approved the release of jailed opposition politician Selahattin Demirtas, but he and his lawyers are pessimistic that the judiciary will act independently of political pressure to keep him behind bars.

Supporters of the ruling AK Party (AKP) wave flags as their mayoral candidate Binali Yildirim speaks during an election rally in Istanbul, Turkey, June 21, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC17CE82D9C0

Is Turkish presidential system helping cause fall in AKP membership?

Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s realized goal for Turkey to have an executive presidency may be fast becoming his worst mistake: His party is losing members at the top and from the base and former colleagues are challenging him directly. Can Erdogan survive his party’s decay?

Turkey going full speed ahead with ambitious drone projects

The Turkish defense industry continues intensive work to develop long-range armed drones and cruise missiles, seeking to gain preemptive strike capability to eliminate threats at their source.

ANKARA, TURKEY - SEPTEMBER 10: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (C) meets United States Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross (L) at Presidential Complex in Ankara, Turkey on September 10, 2019. Turkish Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak (R) also attended the meeting. (Photo by Murat Kula/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Can trade dialogue help improve Turkish-US ties?

Amid the lingering threat of US sanctions on Turkey over its purchase of Russian missiles, US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross paid a long visit to Turkey, leading many to believe bilateral trade will be set apart from the political rows between the two countries.

Can new Turkish posts calm Idlib?

The Turkish army is preparing to build more observation posts in Syria’s Idlib, where a fragile cease-fire is violated daily.

Rich Ottoman recipes grace Istanbul tables

A restaurant in Istanbul's historical district of Fatih has revived 500-year-old Ottoman recipes, including a special goose dish that help develop lasting relationships with regional farmers.