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

Turkey

Turkey

May 4, 2026

Ankara 3:49 pm

6°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

YURI KADOBNOV/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey fails to convince Russia to lift flight ban

Despite the efforts of Turkey's top-level delegation to Russia to get flights resumed between the two countries, Moscow has extended the ban.

A currency exchange office worker counts Turkish Lira banknotes in front of the electronic panel displaying currency exchange rates at an exchange office in Istanbul, on August 6, 2020.

Further depreciation of Turkish lira appears inevitable

The surprise US inflation data last week could be the omen of deepening troubles for the Turkish economy.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses his lawmakers at parliament in Ankara, on Feb. 3, 2009. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged never to allow anti-Semitism to take hold in Turkey, in a bid to calm the country's Jewish minority, increasingly concerned over his attacks on Israel over the Gaza war.

Turkey’s Jewish minority takes the heat amid Israeli-Palestinian violence

A frenzy of anti-Israeli coverage in Turkish media has accompanied anti-Semitic attacks on the country's small Jewish community.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Crypto fever grips Turkey despite risks, new regulations

Turkish citizens are increasingly investing in cryptocurrencies to shelter savings from the volatile Turkish lira and possibly make profits on the side, a trend that has led to both increased risks and increased government regulations.

Amal, the Syrian refugee puppet.

Syrian refugees’ long walk: why Amal is more than a puppet

A giant puppet of a young Syrian girl will travel nearly 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles) from the Turkish-Syrian border to the United Kingdom.

"enjoyed — i'm vaccinated" face mask

Turkish vaccinated tourism video provokes anger

Foreign tourists are exempt from Turkey's coronavirus lockdown, and hospitality workers were given priority in receiving the vaccine.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses a protest rally in Istanbul on May 18, 2018, against the killings of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza-Israel border and the US Embassy move to Jerusalem.

Can Erdogan seize on Israeli-Palestinian crisis to make diplomatic gains?

The flurry of diplomacy over the Israeli-Palestinian escalation has helped Erdogan break his diplomatic isolation, but he could hardly hope for far-reaching gains to help his bid at fence-mending with Arab heavyweights.

Smoke billows from an explosion following an Israeli air strike in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on May 13, 2021.

Erdogan: Turkey won't 'remain silent' over Israeli strikes in Gaza

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also called on the UN Security Council to address the worsening bloodshed.

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Turkish lira nears record lows as emerging markets struggle

Turkish stocks slid and the lira hit a six-month low against major currencies Thursday as higher-than-expected US inflation data weighed on emerging markets.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Erdogan’s midnight decrees give Turkey nightmares

The overnight decrees increasingly governing Turkey have become a source of livid satire and agony for millions of Turks.

Head's of Turkeys Religious Affairs Directorate Ali Erbas holds a press conference in Ankara, Turkey on March 15, 2019.

Turkey’s religious agency grows even richer, more powerful

Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate has acquired unprecedented influence and budget means under Erdogan, spending more than the Foreign and other ministries.

A man walks across the deserted Eminonu Square in Istanbul on May 9, 2021, during a new lockdown aimed at fighting a surging third wave of COVID-19 infections.

Lockdown stems virus surge in Turkey but slow vaccination raises concern

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday a nationwide lockdown would be gradually lifted as planned on May 17, though health experts urged caution amid a vaccination campaign slowed by supply hurdles.