Turkey - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Turkey

Turkey

May 3, 2026

Ankara 1:42 pm

8°C

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

NIKOLAY DOYCHINOV/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey looks to import gas from Turkmenistan, test exports to Bulgaria

Turkey and Turkmenistan are working on a gas deal that will likely extend to Europe in a bid to reduce Western dependency on Russian gas.

Rabbi Mendy Chitrik (L).

Culture

Rabbis forge special bond in Islamic world

Istanbul-based Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States connects Jewish communities in some 20 predominantly Muslim countries and regions across Africa, Asia and Europe, in an effort to enable them to sustain their faith and thrive in their homelands.

This photo shows the inside of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg, eastern France, on Feb. 7, 2019.

Europe’s top court reprimands Turkey for jailing philanthropist

Today’s decision by Europe's top rights court on Osman Kavala, who has kept behind bars for four and a half years in pre-detention and sentenced to life, inches Turkey closer to suspension of its voting rights or even membership in the Council of Europe.

Ukrainian Ambassador to Turkey Vasyl Bodnar (C) speaks to media as he takes part in a protest against Russia's military invasion of Ukraine at Ulus districit in Ankara, on March 5, 2022.

Ukraine’s Turkey ambassador: strategic ties intact but public unhappy over Turkish stance on Russia

Turkey's ambassador to Kyiv has been summoned to voice Ukraine's displeasure over its grain stolen by Russia and shipped to Turkish ports.

(Foreground L to R) a Boeing 737 aircraft of Israel's El Al and an Airbus A321 aircraft of Turkish Airlines.

Turkey, Israel initial accord to pave way to resume El Al flights to Turkey

A new aviation agreement would pave the way for Israeli airline companies’ flights to Turkey, which were suspended due to security concerns in 2007.

:oading barley onto a cargo ship Sormovo-2 in the international port of Rostov-on-Don.

Turkey under pressure to crack down on Russian shipments of stolen Ukrainian grain

Ukraine’s growing pressure on Turkey to act against Russian shipments of “stolen” Ukrainian grain highlights the importance of establishing a safe export corridor under UN auspices.

A screengrab from the music video for Copshop, but Turkish popstar Mabel Matiz.

Turkey’s media watchdog warns against LGBTQ song as crackdown continues

Turkish pop star Mabel Matiz's “Copshop,” a song that tells the story of a gay man tortured in a police station, dovetails with a month-long government crackdown on LGBTQ groups and activities during Pride month.

INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey blocks VOA, Deutsche Welle in pre-election media clampdown

The ban came after the websites failed to apply for licenses that would allow government to oversee their content.

Syria Turkey

Syrians adapt to tumultuous Turkish environment

In the decade-old Turkish diaspora, thousands of Syrians have started businesses that fill niches in Turkey and open up new export markets — but economic and political challenges are rising.

Obsolete Turkish lira banknotes are seen in the window of an exchange office on May 05, 2022, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey’s runaway inflation soars to near 79%

The Turkish government’s continued failure to stabilize the battered lira raises the prospect of inflation topping 100% in the fall.

Turkey opposition

Turkish opposition seeks to challenge Erdogan at his own game

Turkey’s opposition, which has long failed to put up a coherent attitude to the government’s foreign policy, is now turning to a hawkish rhetoric that Erdogan himself might envy.

Erdogan Nato

Not so fast: Erdogan still holds cards on NATO bids by Sweden, Finland

If conditions are not met, Turkey's president says it is "out of the question" that the Turkish parliament will take up Sweden and Finland's NATO membership issue; avoiding a further US-Turkish meltdown; is Syria invasion on hold?