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Turkey

Turkey

May 18, 2026

Ankara 1:25 am

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Ships navigate the Bosphorus Strait on May 02, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey. Since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran, forcing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and together with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, global shipping routes have been severely impacted. Soaring shipping costs, lengthening delivery times and less efficient routes have seen increased pressure on energy markets and supply chains worldwide. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Analysis

Why Turkey sees opportunity in Hormuz crisis to boost Middle Corridor

Ankara seeks to exploit transport disruptions from the Iran, Ukraine wars to push the corridor, but high costs, logistical bottlenecks and South Caucasus politics pose obstacles.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Mazloum Kobane, commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks during the pan-Kurdish "Unity and Consensus" conference in Qamishli in northeastern Syria on April 26, 2025.

Interview

Syrian Kurdish commander Kobane says Turkey visit ‘in the making,’ Ocalan meeting possible

The SDF commander-in-chief reflected on a fragile integration deal with Damascus, growing Kurdish backlash and ongoing talks with Turkey as questions mount over Rojava’s political future.

Mazloum Kobane

Mazloum Kobane

SDF commander in chief

Latest News

Turkey, Armenia to launch direct trade in normalization push: What to know

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan shake hands before a meeting at Prague Castle in Prague, Czech Republic, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022.

New Turkey maritime draft bill fuels EastMed tensions with Greece, Cyprus

The helicopter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lands on Abdulhamid Han drill ship, the fourth built by Turkey, in Mersin on Aug. 9, 2022, before being sent for gas exploration to an undisputed area in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Gazipasa.

Turkey's border reopening unlocks new sphere of influence in Syria

Turkish Red Crescent's cars and trucks cross the Turkish border as they leave the Syrian city of Tel Abyad on Oct. 19, 2019, in Akcakale, 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

Soccer Football - Turkish Super League - Galatasaray vs Basaksehir - Turk Telekom Arena, Istanbul, Turkey - April 15, 2018 General view of Galatasaray players celebrating in front of the fans at the end of the match REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1598DDF3E0

Soccer mirrors politics in polarized Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's promotion of a soccer team that subscribes to conservative Islamic values has more so polarized fans than won them over.

Why so many Turks are losing faith in Islam

Turkish politicians and media outlets have been discussing why so many young people are opting for “deism” at a time when Islam seems more ascendant than ever.

Iranian sculptor's desire for artistic freedom takes him across region

Iranian Kurdish sculptor Seywan Saeedian's life takes him across borders in a conflict-torn region, where artistic independence often comes at a steep price.

After missile strikes, Trump resumes exit strategy for Syria

"No amount of American blood or treasure can produce lasting peace and security in the Middle East," Trump says.

A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer and crew, being deployed to launch strike as part of the multinational response to Syria's use of chemical weapons, is seen in this image released from Al Udeid Air Base, Doha, Qatar on April 14, 2018. U.S. Air Force/Handout via REUTERS. ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY - RC1FB58E8DC0

Turkey's response to US-led Syria strikes: Not enough but welcomed

Immediate Turkish official reactions to the US-led airstrikes in Syria differ significantly from the public’s perceptions: While most Turks are skeptical of Western bombing of a Muslim nation, Erdogan fans afflicted by "Assad-phobia" cheered.

TOPSHOT - A Syrian Kurdish fighter walks in the town of Rajo in the Afrin District on January 27, 2018.
Turkish troops and tanks entered northern Syria on January 21 in an offensive aimed at ousting the Kurdish Peoples' Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers a terror group, from the Afrin region bordering Turkey. / AFP PHOTO / STRINGER (Photo credit should read STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

Jilted Kurds ignore Western hand-wringing over Syria gas attack

The Syrian Kurds have been notably silent on US President Donald Trump’s threat to punish Damascus over a suspected chemical attack on Douma, likely disillusioned and choosing to focus on condemning Turkey's ongoing offensive in Afrin.

Turkish soldiers ride on a military vehicle in the center of Afrin, Syria March 24, 2018. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RC1B6933DB00

Turkey's running out of time to pick a partner in Syria

Turkey's been playing the field in Syria, but as the crisis escalates, Ankara may have to make a commitment to either its NATO allies or Moscow.

Turkey’s controversial wealth fund stumbles badly since hasty creation

Turkey’s sovereign wealth fund, which holds key public assets worth $160 billion, has stumbled badly since its hasty creation in 2016.

Syrian refugees find support, hope in Turkey's peaceful Kilis

A vocational training center is helping Syrian refugees build new lives in the peaceful Turkish border town of Kilis, but more funding is needed to keep it going.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin meets at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey April 3, 2018. REUTERS/Umit Bektas - UP1EE431A7CYB

Turkey squeezed as US-Russia tensions rise in Syria

Since the suspected chemical weapons attack by Syrian regime forces in Douma, Turkey has been producing conflicting messages, visibly torn between its strategic interests in Syria and ties to NATO and the West.

Have Iran, Russia and Turkey reached agreement on future Syrian state?

The second trilateral summit between the presidents of Iran, Russia and Turkey appears to have ushered further movement toward an understanding on the political endgame in Syria.

Greek Air force pilots stand on the tarmac by F-16 Falcon fighting aircrafts in Nea Anchialos air force base some 300 km north of Athens November 8, 2004. Greek air force bases where open to the public on Monday as part of celebrations for the day of Archangel Michael, protector of the Greek air force. REUTER/Yannis Behrakis YB/THI - RP5DRHXPMGAC

Drones could make Turkey-Greece clashes less risky, but more frequent

Disputes between Greece and Turkey over Aegean airspace go back decades, but drones could change the face of their encounters drastically.