Turkey-Gulf relations

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler (L) is pictured with Saud Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in in Saudi Arabia on March 12, 2025.

Turkey’s defense chief deepens military ties, Syria cooperation in Riyadh

The Turkish defense chief’s visit to Jeddah comes ahead of an expected visit by the president.

BERLIN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 24: Friedrich Merz, chancellor candidate of Germany’s Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU), arrives to a press conference sthe day after German parliamentary elections on February 24, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. The CDU/CSU won with 28.5% and will seek to form a government coalition. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Analysis

Pro-Israel, Turkey-friendly in Syria: How Merz's win in Germany affects Middle East

Germany’s chancellor-designate, Friedrich Merz, has called for more military support to Israel and criticized the current government over reduced arms exports to the country.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan gives a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart after their meeting in Baghdad on Jan. 26, 2025.

Defense ties, Syria top Turkey's Fidan visit to Saudi Arabia

The visit by Turkey's top diplomat aimed to strengthen regional cooperation on Syria and enhance defense ties between Ankara and Riyadh.

DAMASCUS, SYRIA - DECEMBER 30: Syria's newly appointed Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani during a press conference after a meeting between the Syrian leadership and a Ukrainian delegation to help strengthen ties between the two countries on December 30, 2024 in Damascus, Syria. Syria is transitioning after the fall of the Baath regime and the Assad family's rule, with a temporary administration now in place in Damascus and Aleppo. (Photo by Ali Haj Suleiman/Getty Images)

Syria's top diplomat set to pay first visit to Turkey on Wednesday: What we know

Experts believe that Turkey’s and other regional countries’ security concerns will be key agenda items during the visit.

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Qatar's emir visits Turkey amid push for de-escalation, Gaza talks

Erdogan and Thani

Israel’s FM tells NATO to expel Turkey as Erdogan threatens war over Gaza

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a press conference on the sidelines of the NATO 75th anniversary summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, July 11, 2024.

Analysis

As Erdogan woos Assad, is Turkey-Syria reconciliation rhetoric or reality?

This combination of file photographs created on July 7, 2024, shows Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) in Ankara on May 29, 2023, and Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on July 16, 2023.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

In Paris, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Analysis

What's next for Turkey-UAE ties as economic cooperation hits record high?

RYAN LIM/AFP via Getty Images

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) welcomes Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman (R) during an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, on June 22, 2022. Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler took a big step out of international isolation on June 22, 2022, paying his first visit to Sunni rival Turkey since the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey’s Erdogan arrives in Saudi Arabia, first stop on Gulf tour

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his three-day Gulf tour, which includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, will focus on economic cooperation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) welcomes Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) during an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, on November 24, 2021. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

As Turkey grapples with deficit, Erdogan pins his hopes on Gulf funds during visit

Ankara is hoping for an inflow of Gulf dollars as the battered lira remains under pressure amid a gaping budget deficit and reluctance to take firmer measures to tame inflation.

Mustafa Sonmez

By Mustafa Sonmez

In Istanbul, reporting on economics

Turkish minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Simsek,(L) speaks with minister of Energy and Natural Resourcesand Alparslan Bayraktar,(R) during the group meeting of Justice and Development (AK) Party at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara, on June 21, 2023. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey's finance, banking chiefs to visit Saudi Arabia in search of foreign funds

The Saudi visit of Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek and Central Bank Governor Gaye Erkan is expected to be followed by the Turkish President's Gulf tour.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L), UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan (C) and Manchester City's Emirati owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan (R) attend the UEFA Champions League final football match between Inter Milan and Manchester City at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, on June 10, 2023. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP) (Photo by FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey's Erdogan revs up diplomacy with focus on Syria, Gulf funds

After the president's reelection, Turkish diplomacy has found a new impetus in cementing ties with the Arab world, driven in part by Ankara’s hopes of attracting Gulf funds to prop up its ailing economy.

Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Turkey's Erdogan runs soccer diplomacy with UAE, Libya at Champions League final

Turkey's president hosted Libya’s prime minister and the UAE president at the Champions League final in Istanbul.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Turkey eases forex controls, rate hikes next as Simsek takes charge

Turkey’s Central Bank is expected to start hiking rates under a new economic leadership that many see as a signal that Erdogan will step back from his unorthodox policies.

Mustafa Sonmez

By Mustafa Sonmez

In Istanbul, reporting on economics

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) welcomes Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) during an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, on November 24, 2021. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Turkey-UAE honeymoon on horizon after Erdogan's win, economic deals

The UAE-Turkey $40 billion trade agreement ratified in May is an expression of the friendship between the two countries’ leaders, according to experts.

By Salim A. Essaid

Saudi Aramco CEO

Analysis

With Saudi Aramco's $50 billion deal, Turkey seeks less dependency on West

The two major regional powers had grown distant over the years due to Erdogan’s ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and the 2018 killing at the consulate in Istanbul of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Erdogan MBZ

Turkey, UAE ratify $40 billion trade deal after Erdogan's victory

Abu Dhabi’s ratification of the partnership agreement came three days after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s election victory.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog (L) and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan shake hands during a press conference in Ankara, on March 9, 2022. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Israel quick to congratulate Turkey's Erdogan, expects boost in ties

The phone calls of President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reelected Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reflect Israel’s hope for preserving and expanding rehabilitated bilateral ties.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Flags fly over Taksim Square showing Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and CHP presidential candidate, Kemal Kilicdaroglu on May 13, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. On May 14th, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will face his biggest electoral test as the country goes to the polls in the country's general election. Erdogan has been in power for more than two decades -- first as prime minister, then as president -- but his popularity has recently taken a hit due to Turkey's ongoing economic crisis and his gover

How Erdogan’s reelection will shift Turkey's foreign policy goals

Erdogan’s desire to build a legacy as an above-party national leader requires him to sustain and nurture the notion of a “strong Turkey” in foreign policy.

People watch on from a balcony displaying a large banner of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan outside a "Yes" (EVET) referendum campaign rally event attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 11, 2017 in Istanbul, Turkey.(Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Turkey's FM to visit Egypt as Erdogan mends relations with Sisi

The visit will be the first of its kind in more than a decade, following diplomatic deep freeze between the two East-Med countries.