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Turkey

July 10, 2026

Ankara 5:45 pm

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In first, Russia confirms S-400 talks with Turkey amid transfer reports to acquire F-35

On Friday, the Kremlin spokesperson provided the first confirmation that Turkey and Russia have held discussions about Ankara's efforts to resolve the S-400 issue with Washington.

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.

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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.

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Feature

Armenia's Pashinyan keeps Iran close while wooing Trump, Turkey and Azerbaijan

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)

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

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

Turkish cop photographed killing Kurdish student walks free

Young Kurd Kemal Kurkut was shot dead in 2017 in Diyarbakir and while his police officer killer will go unpunished, the photographer who documented the incident faces serious charges.

EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / A protester is detained by police during a demonstration against the replacement of Kurdish mayors with state officials in three cities, on August 20, 2019, in Istanbul. - The Turkish government removed three mayors from office on August 19 over alleged links to Kurdish militants as Ankara deepened its crackdown on the opposition. The mayors of Diyarbakir, Mardin and Van provinces in eastern Turkey -- all members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) elected in M

Turkey expands crackdown on pro-Kurdish activists with dozens of raids

The prospect for promises of sweeping reform looked bleak in the wake of more than 70 arrests that targeted politicians, doctors, lawyers, journalists and civil society activists.

Top Netflix drama lays open Turkish divides

The Turkish Netflix series Ethos has been both praised for bridging the divide between Turkey’s feuding segments and disparaged for enforcing them with cliches.

US Vice President Joe Biden (L) gestures next to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a meeting at Yildiz Mabeyn Palace on January 23, 2016 in Istanbul. / AFP / POOL / SEDAT SUNA (Photo credit should read SEDAT SUNA/AFP via Getty Images)

US-Turkey ties under Biden: confrontation or conciliation?

The Biden era in Washington is looming as a tough test for Ankara, whose moves will largely determine how the scarred US-Turkish relationship develops.

VAROSHA, CYPRUS - NOVEMBER 15: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks on November 15, 2020 in the disputed coastal town of Varosha in Famagusta, Cyprus, after a picnic. (Photo by Alexis Mitas/Getty Images)

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Erdogan seeks a way out

Ankara has to improve Turkey’s international image with major reforms in order to attract much-needed foreign capital but the jury is out on whether President Erdogan can do it.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - NOVEMBER 09: People wait to exchange money at a currency exchange shop on November 09, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, the son-in-law of President Erdogan who has been in the role for five years, resigned Sunday citing health reasons. The country's currency has plunged 30 percent this year. After the resignation of Berat Albayrak, Turkish lira gained 3% against $ following the resignation. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

Under new leadership, Turkish Central Bank delivers largest rate hike in two years

Following a shakeup in Turkey’s economy team, Central Bank policy-makers raised a key interest rate to 15% Thursday, pledging to fight high inflation and bolster the nation’s troubled economy.

Turkish government voices support for Afghan peace process

The head of Afghanistan's peace negotiations with the Taliban visited Ankara on Thursday as talks continue in Doha.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - NOVEMBER 09: A man exchanges money at a currency exchange shop on November 09, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, the son-in-law of President Erdogan who has been in the role for five years, resigned Sunday citing health reasons. The country's currency has plunged 30 percent this year. After the resignation of Berat Albayrak, Turkish lira gained 3% against $ following the resignation. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

Turkey’s landmark rate hike augurs economic contraction

Ankara’s departure from a much-criticized policy to keep interest rates low offers hope for a currency recovery but threatens economic recession and fresh livelihood grievances for the populace.

Members of the Polisario Front stand guard during a visit of the United Nations chief on March 5, 2016, in Bir-Lahlou, in the disputed territory of Western Sahara, situated 220 kilometres (137 miles) southwest of the Algerian town of Tindouf.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, who met Polisario Front leaders including its Secretary General, said he would "spare no effort" in trying to find a solution to the Western Sahara issue. / AFP / Farouk Batiche (Photo credit should read FAROUK BATICHE/AFP via G

Western Sahara conflict tests Turkey-Algeria ties

Turkey’s continued cold war with the Saudi bloc is adding fuel to the brewing conflict in Western Sahara between Algeria and Morocco.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli (L) and his Sudanese counterpart Abdalla Hamdok address the press after their meeting in Sudan's capital Khartoum, on August 15, 2020. (Photo by ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP) (Photo by ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP via Getty Images)

Egypt seeks alliance with Sudan, Israel to counter Turkish influence in Somalia

Egypt is reportedly seeking an alliance with Sudan and Israel to counter Turkish moves in the Red Sea.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu makes a press statement at his party's headquarters in Ankara, on September 16, 2020. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Erdogan mum as mob boss threatens Turkey’s main opposition leader

In an open letter filled with obscenities and threats of physical violence, a prominent leader in Turkey's mafia accused Kemal Kilicdaroglu of treason in concert with Kurdish militants and foreign powers.

A man takes the temperature of worshippers ahead of the Friday prayer at Kocatepe Mosque on August 7, 2020, amid the crisis linked with the Covid-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkish health experts warn new COVID-19 measures don’t go far enough

The Turkish government has introduced partial curfews and other measures to curbing rising COVID-19 cases in the country, while health experts call for a full lockdown and more transparency in pandemic data.