NATO

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attends a press conference in Moscow on June 16, 2026.

Analysis

Fidan heads to Egypt amid questions over Saudi Arabia-Turkey-Pakistan pact

Conflicting accounts of why Egypt stayed out of the agreement have exposed the competing interests shaping the region’s emerging defense architecture.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

David's Sling.

Explainer

As Turkey rivalry heats up, Greece to acquire $4B Israeli air defense system

The Greek defense minister said that the air defense system will be operational within 35 months.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose after signing a defense partnership agreement on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

Analysis

From S-400s to SAMP/T: Turkey’s defense pivot gathers pace after NATO summit

Turkey is seeking to turn the diplomatic momentum from the Ankara NATO summit into a broad defense realignment spanning US sanctions relief and fighter technology, European air defenses and deeper military cooperation with the UK.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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.

Latest News

US to drop Syria from terror blacklist

US President Donald Trump meets Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (L) on the sidelines of the NATO Summit at Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, on July 8, 2026.

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.

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)

Trump says US will lift CAATSA sanctions on Turkey, consider F-35 sale

Trump Erdogan

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a news conference after attending the G20 summit, in New Delhi on Sept. 10, 2023.

Turkey 'seriously upset' over Washington linking F-16 sales to Sweden’s NATO membership

Turkey's President Erdogan says approval of Sweden’s application was up to the Turkish parliament, not for him to decide individually.

NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană meets Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog, Jerusalem, September 7, 2023.

NATO deputy visits Israel, emphasizes shared threats from Iran, Russia

NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana told Al-Monitor that he is optimistic the alliance will soon conclude a new four-year partnership framework with Israel.

EU Council President Charles Michel (R) arrives with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the EU headquarters in Brussels on March 9, 2020. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP) (Photo by JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images)

EU Commissioner: Turkey must take on democratic reforms to revive EU bid

A senior EU official has said that revival of Turkey’s stalled membership negotiations with the EU can only be discussed once Ankara takes on democratic reforms.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart in Tehran on September 3, 2023. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey’s Fidan, NATO chief discuss Sweden’s bid, Ukraine grain deal

The phone call comes a day after the meeting in Sochi between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) shakes hands with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) during a meeting in Sochi, on August 5, 2022. (Photo by Vyacheslav Prokofyev and Vyacheslav PROKOFYEV / POOL / AFP) (Photo by VYACHESLAV PROKOFYEV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

In Russia, Turkey's Erdogan seeks better ties with Putin, but distrust lingers

The Turkish president wants to enhance his prestige by brokering a new grain deal but faces an uphill battle, with increasing distrust from Moscow over Ankara's ties with Ukraine, and posture inside NATO.

Turkey's newly appointed Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan.

In first foreign policy speech, Turkey's FM asks NATO to be 'considerate,' slams PKK

Laying out Turkey's foreign policy priorities, Hakan Fidan set forth a national security-oriented agenda, striking a more hawkish tone on the Kurdistan Workers Party while softening his language on regional ties.

The TQ Samsun bulk carrier transits the Bosporus during the early morning hours on July 18, 2023, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey's Erdogan makes no headway in getting Russia back to Ukraine grain deal 

Turkey’s Erdogan says he will continue diplomacy to bring Putin back to the grain deal and announces Putin will come to Turkey, but gives no timeframe.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen delivers a speech.

European Parliament rebuffs Turkey's NATO-EU trade-off

Turkey’s EU accession process cannot resume under the current circumstances, but new ways to cooperate should be explored, EP members say ahead of an EU foreign ministers meeting.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) shakes hands with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson during their meeting ahead of the NATO Summit on July 11, 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania. The summit is bringing together NATO members and partner countries heads of state from July 11-12 to chart the alliance's future, with Sweden's application for membership and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine as major topics on the summit agenda. (Photo by Filip Singer - Pool/Getty Images)

Inside Turkey's three dimensions for changing tune on Sweden's NATO bid

Turkey’s surprise decision on the Swedish NATO bid seems to be underpinned by considerations on defense and economic areas.

President of Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (R).

Erdogan’s NATO moves agitate Russia but don’t spell Turkey's sharp shift to West

The Turkish leader is navigating Ankara’s relationships in ways that he believes best benefit Turkey’s interests and above all his own political survival.

Turkey NATO

Analysis

Turkey's F-16s in doubt after Erdogan says no Sweden vote before October

The Biden administration's planned sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey could hinge on when the Turkish parliament chooses to ratify Sweden's accession.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the opening high-level session of the 2023 NATO Summit on July 11, 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Turkey unlikely to ratify Sweden’s NATO entry before October, says Erdogan

The comments clearly signal that the drama over Sweden’s accession is not over, and Turkey's push to overcome Congressional sanctions and acquire F-16 fighter jets remains the main sticking point.