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Turkey

July 9, 2026

Ankara 10:28 pm

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Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey Alparslan Bayraktar speaks during the launch of an offshore energy exploration at the port in Mogadishu on April 10, 2026.

Turkey brokers intra-Somalia talks as federal rifts test Ankara’s influence

Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland and Jubaland states reportedly declined to join the talks, as Ankara is ramping up efforts to shore up support for Somalia’s federal institutions.

Getty Images

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

Latest News

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

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)

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.

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

Ekrem Imamoglu of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), who was elected mayor after the March 31 elections, addresses his supporters after the High Election Board (YSK) decided to re-run the mayoral election, in Istanbul, Turkey, May 6, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC134ED8A270

Turkish opposition will not boycott Istanbul election rerun

As the Turkish opposition party whose victory in the municipal elections agrees to participate in a new vote, critics of the regime fear any outcome of the rematch for control of Istanbul.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu shakes hands with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif during a news conference in Istanbul, Turkey October 30, 2018. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC15CF69EA60

How US sanctions facilitate Turkish-Iranian understanding on Syria

Faced with US pressures on multiple fronts, Iran and Turkey are likely to step up cooperation — including in Syria, where the two neighbors remain at odds over multiple issues.

Unlikely woman new heroine of Turkish opposition

The main opposition Istanbul chief criticizes the decision of Turkey's Supreme Electoral Board to annul the results of the Istanbul municipal elections, saying that official institutions should respect the choice of the people.

A Turkish flag, with the New and the Suleymaniye mosques in the background, flies on a passenger ferry in Istanbul, Turkey, April 11, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1B6C6E4270

Intel: How Turkey just shattered many voters' already fractured trust in their democracy

Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council today annulled the results of local elections in Istanbul, where President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered a historic defeat just over a month ago.

A man holds a picture of jailed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan as people gather to celebrate Newroz, which marks the arrival of spring and the new year, in Istanbul, Turkey March 24, 2019. REUTERS/Kemal Aslan - RC1291C94940

Why did Turkey allow jailed Kurdish leader to meet lawyers after long pause?

In his first meeting with lawyers in eight years, imprisoned Kurdistan Workers Party leader Abdullah Ocalan called for "democratic negotiation" between Turkey and the Syrian Kurds and for hunger strikers protesting his treatment not to endanger their health.

Turkey polishes Iraqi relations, champions Turkmen in politics

The Turkish foreign minister's recent visit to Baghdad and Erbil included a push for appointing Turkmens to Cabinet positions in Iraq.

Different faiths, shared sites explored in Istanbul

An exhibition in Istanbul sheds light on religious sites and pilgrimages sacred to Christians, Muslims and Jews alike, a phenomenon that is not widely known but is quite common in the Mediterranean region.

A freed prisoner is seen after he was released by Israel in what Damascus described as Russian-mediated reciprocation for the repatriation of the body of a long-missing Israeli soldier, at the Quneitra crossing, Syria, in this handout released by SANA on April 28, 2019. SANA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. REUTERS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THIS IMAGE - RC15296E83D0

Is Israel reconciled to Assad's staying power?

Turkish defense minister says the United States has "moved closer to our position" on Syria safe zone.

Deteriorating US-Turkey ties weaken Ankara's hand in other problems

Intensive diplomatic traffic between Athens and Washington that emphasizes military cooperation raises the question of whether the United States is seeking an alternative strategic ally to Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkish-backed Syrian rebels ride on trucks at Manbij countryside, Syria December 28, 2018. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RC12E3699180

Turkey claims progress on Syria safe zone

Despite claims from Ankara that Turkey and the United States are making headway on a safe zone in northern Syria, sources familiar with the talks say no tangible progress had been achieved and that Ankara's positive spin is likely inspired by empty US promises.

Losses of Turkey’s construction sector foisted on taxpayers

Turkey has created a special fund to salvage debt-ridden construction companies, many of them government cronies, while relieving banks from bad loans, but the rescue operation is bound to put further burden on public finances and thus taxpayers.

Boys' rescue from forest provides bright spot for Turks

The rescue of two boys, ages 4 and 5, from a forest brought a modicum of hope the day after May Day to Turkish union members and others who have seen their buying power dwindle and are still seeing the nation's governing party trying to reverse the results of the March 31 Istanbul mayor election.