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Turkey

Turkey

May 3, 2026

Ankara 9:09 am

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Zaidi

Analysis

Iraq’s Zaidi offers economic promise for Turkey but unknowns loom

Iraq’s prime minister-designate, Ali al-Zaidi, is expected to sustain growing economic and strategic ties with Turkey thanks to his business-oriented approach, though uncertainty over his political stance could test cooperation on sensitive issues.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Members of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), from the British Army's 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, No. 2 Company, patrol along the buffer zone separating the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus and the breakaway Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the divided capital Nicosia on Feb. 17, 2026.

Turkey warns France over Cyprus troop deployment: What to know

A potential French deployment to Greek Cyprus comes amid Turkey’s growing concerns of strategic encirclement in the Eastern Mediterranean.

This aerial photograph shows Turkey's first floating natural gas production platform, "Osman Gazi," passing through the Bosphorus, in Istanbul, on May 29, 2025.

Turkey advances gas pipeline plan to northern Cyprus as East Med rivalry grows

The Turkish energy minister said the country's oil and natural gas pipeline operator, BOTAS, has started the engineering work for the pipeline.

Latest News

In first, Libya’s rival armies to join drill in Turkey: What to know

Cadets of the Saiqa Force (Special Forces) of the self-styled Libyan National Army affiliated with eastern strongman Khalifa Hifter take part in a graduation ceremony in tribute to the force's late commander, Wanis Bukhamada, in the eastern city of Benghazi, on Jan. 20, 2022.

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

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.

Analysis

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

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.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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

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)

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

Foreign Ministers, Sergei Lavrov (C) of Russia, Mevlut Cavusoglu (L) of Turkey and Mohammad Javad Zarif of Iran, attend the international meeting on Syria in Astana, Kazakhstan March 16, 2018. REUTERS/Mukhtar Kholdorbekov - UP1EE3G0MJ01P

Turkey continues to freeze Kurds out of Syria peace talks

Syria peace talks continue in the Kazakh capital, with regional heavyweights battling it out over who will have a spot at the negotiating table.

A Syrian Army soldier loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad forces stands next to a military weapon in Idlib, Syria January 21, 2018. Picture taken January 21, 2018. SANA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS IMAGE. - RC19C0D8B740

Can Turkey avert military assault on Idlib?

Damascus, Moscow and Tehran continue to exert pressure on Ankara to clear the region of jihadist elements.

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) arrives to speak at the North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU) 2019 legislative conference in Washington, U.S., April 10, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas - RC1AB0F71E60

2020 candidates line up behind Armenian genocide bill as US-Turkey relations plummet

Strained relations between the NATO allies has given advocates hope the United States will finally call the Ottoman Empire’s mass slaughter of Christians in World War I a genocide.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a rally of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) as part of the local election campaign in Ankara, Turkey, on March 28, 2019. - Local elections in Turkey's capital and the country's overall 81 provinces are scheduled for March 31, 2019. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Turkey’s electoral commission keeps public guessing over Istanbul result

Turkey's Supreme Electoral Commission has given into some the ruling party's demands in Istanbul, where a post-game battle is raging over the mayorship.

Supporters of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) pose in front of a party bus with a picture of their leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu on it, in Istanbul, Turkey, April 22, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1772ED6760

Turkish opposition leader attacked at funeral for slain soldier

Turkish opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu was attacked at the funeral of a slain Turkish soldier, but Turkey's president was slow to offer condolences.

Can Dundar (R) , the opposition Cumhuriyet daily's editor-in-chief and Erdem Gul (L),Cumhuriyet daily's Ankara bureau chief speak to the media after being freed from Silivri prison in Istanbul on February 26,2016. Turkey's constitutional court ruled that the rights of two Turkish opposition journalists charged with revealing state secrets in a hugely controversial case had been violated, paving the way for their release after three months in jail. AFP PHOTO / VEDAT ARIK/ CUMHURIYET DAILY / AFP / CUMHURIYE

Turkish Constitutional Court caught red-handed

The European Court of Human Rights has just struck a massive blow to Turkey's Constitutional Court, which is the target of criticisms that it does little to protect human rights.

Members of the Syrian civil defence search for victims amidst destruction from reported air strikes in the town of Kafraya in the north of Idlib province on March 22, 2019. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP) (Photo credit should read OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP/Getty Images)

Can Russia deliver a deal for Idlib between Turkey, Syria?

In Idlib, Moscow finds itself between the devil and the deep blue sea — a possible Syrian government offensive and Turkish constraints — but there is still reason to believe it can come up with a mutually acceptable deal for Damascus and Ankara.

A stallholder reads a newspaper as he waits for customers at a bazaar in Ankara, Turkey, March 26, 2019. Picture taken March 26, 2019. REUTERS/Umit Bektas - RC14A18DA6D0

Why did pro-government media fail Erdogan?

Erdogan’s choice of press corps for his Russia trip suggests that a more hawkish faction among the pro-AKP media is likely to gain access to the president’s ear.

A dog drinks water on Lake Eymir in Ankara on January 17, 2019. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Dog killings in Turkey's capital show poor lawmaking

The recent killing of dogs in Ankara has once again shed light on Turkey's inefficient animal rights laws, which identify strays as "property" instead of "living beings."

Can US convince Turkey to undo 'done deal' with Russia?

Although there are some signs of warming between the United States and Turkey over the situation in northeast Syria, many in Ankara feel it is too little, too late.

Fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) sit in the bucket of an excavator in the village of Baghouz, Deir Al Zor province, Syria March 20, 2019. Picture taken March 20, 2019. REUTERS/Rodi Said - RC115D5A9480

Syrian Kurds fear US sellout to Turkey on ‘safe zone’

Zarif meets Assad and Erdogan; is Erdogan banking on Trump to avoid S-400 sanctions?

Russian S-400 air defence mobile missile launching system drive down Tverskaya Street during rehearsals for the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow, May 5, 2014. Russia celebrates victory over Nazi Germany on May 9. REUTERS/Grigory Dukor (RUSSIA - Tags: MILITARY ANNIVERSARY) - GM1EA560B2U01

Why Turkey’s reliance on Trump for S-400 sanctions waiver appears misguided

Turkey is counting on President Donald Trump to waive US sanctions if Turkey takes delivery of the Russian air defense system. But any possible leniency would face significant obstacles in Congress.