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Turkey

July 9, 2026

Ankara 8:07 pm

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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.

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)

Feature

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

As Yerevan pursues normalization with Turkey and Azerbaijan and backs a US-led transport corridor, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is working to reassure an increasingly assertive Iran that its interests won't be threatened.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

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)

Trump declares MoU with Iran 'over' as Hegseth cancels trip to Israel

Trump said diplomacy with Tehran was “a waste of time” after renewed attacks around Hormuz, as US defense chief reportedly cancels Israel visit.

Latest News

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.

Analysis

Trump's F-35 push for Turkey runs into CAATSA — and Israel

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) welcomes US President Donald Trump (R) upon his arrival on Air Force One at Etimesgut Air Base near Ankara, on July 7, 2026, before attending the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

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 Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (L) poses with the President of the Libyan Supreme Council of State Khalid Al-Mishri prior to a meeting in Libya's capital Tripoli, on August 6, 2020. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey’s militarized Africa opening fuels influence wars

The rivalry between Turkey and its regional adversaries has spilled over to the Horn of Africa and other regions in the continent beyond Libya, stoked by Ankara’s militarization of its outreach policy.

Exiled former senior Fatah member Mohammed Dahlan attends a Palestinian legislative Council meeting in Gaza City through video conference from the United Arab Emirates on July 27, 2017 following developments at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Palestinians were set to return to pray at a sensitive Jerusalem holy site after Israeli authorities removed controversial new security measures, potentially ending a nearly two-week crisis that sparked deadly unrest. Dahlan, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's exiled r

Turkey tries to settle scores with Palestinian leader backed by the UAE

Interpol recently rejected Turkey’s request to arrest dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan, who is currently in the United Arab Emirates, but analysts believe this will not stop Ankara from pursuing Dahlan through other means.

United Arab Emirates

Turkey’s tilt toward Pakistan provokes India’s ire

An Indian intelligence reports sees Turkey as becoming a hub for anti-India activities second only to Pakistan.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MAY 29: In this aerial photo taken with a drone, Turkish drilling vessel 'Fatih' sails up the Bosphorus towards the Black Sea on May 29, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

Turkey plans new naval drills in eastern Mediterranean

The Turkish navy will hold live-fire exercises in the eastern Mediterranean next week amid rising tensions with Greece.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives for a press conference following the weekly cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on August 24, 2020. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Is Erdogan trying to split NATO with his East Med gambit?

Confronted with various problems at home, including deepening financial woes, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan resorts to aggressive and expansionist foreign policy moves to consolidate his support base through fueling nationalism.

TOPSHOT - Turkish troops parade in the northern part of Nicosia, the capital of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on July 20, 2020, to mark the 46th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus in 1974. - The republic was created after Turkey invaded northern Cyprus in 1974 following a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at uniting the east Mediterranean island with Greece. Cyprus has remained divided since. (Photo by Birol BEBEK / AFP) (Photo by BIROL BEBEK/AFP via Getty Images)

How much does Erdogan’s 'coercive diplomacy' benefit Turkey?

If mishandled, Turkey’s threats of military action could trigger an uncontrolled escalation, leaving Ankara facing difficult choices.

Iraqi kurds, some of them wearing protective masks due to COVID-19, march during a demonstration to denounce the Turkish assault in northern Iraq, in Sulaimaniyah city, in the Kurdish autonomous region of northern Iraq, on June 18, 2020. - Turkey launched a rare ground assault into northern Iraq on June 17, deploying special forces against rebels from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which is blacklisted by Ankara as a "terrorist" group. Baghdad demanded Ankara immediately halt its assault in northern Ira

Turkish airstrikes rile Iraqi street

Turkey's continuing airstrikes and other military aggression in northern Iraq are increasing tensions and expanding instability in the region.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MAY 29: In this aerial photo taken with a drone, Turkish drilling vessel 'Fatih' sails up the Bosphorus towards the Black Sea on May 29, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

How Mediterranean standoff complicates Turkey's natural gas agenda

Too many factors — especially tensions with Greece — are at play to determine whether recent gas discovery in the Black Sea will translate into massive commercial and political gains for Ankara.

Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) and German Foreign Affairs Minister Heiko Maas (L) hold a joint press conference following their meeting at the Turkish Foreign Ministry in Ankara on August 25, 2020. - The German Foreign minister warned on August 25 that Turkey's standoff with Greece in the eastern Mediterranean was at a "very critical" juncture but stressed that both sides appeared ready to talk. A crisis has been brewing in the eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey is at odds with Greec

Germany appeals for calm as Turkish, Greek navies run drills in EastMed

The Turkish and Greek navies conducted drills in the eastern Mediterranean this week as German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass seeks to bring both nations back to the negotiation table.

TOPSHOT - Members of the Salah Bou-Haliqa brigade, loyal to the country's east strongman Khalifa Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army, celebrate as they arrive in the eastern city of Benghazi after seizing the central al-Jufra area from the Benghazi Defence Brigades coalition, a rival to Haftar's forces on June 5, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Abdullah DOMA (Photo credit should read ABDULLAH DOMA/AFP via Getty Images)

Libyan cease-fire casts cloud over Erdogan’s ambitions

Having failed to advance its military intervention in Libya, Ankara has grudgingly endorsed a cease-fire in the conflict, but its ambitions appear intact for the process down the road.

Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu holds a joint press conference with the German Foreign Affairs minister following their meeting at the Turkish Foreign Ministry in Ankara on August 25, 2020. - The German Foreign minister warned on August 25 that Turkey's standoff with Greece in the eastern Mediterranean was at a "very critical" juncture but stressed that both sides appeared ready to talk. A crisis has been brewing in the eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey is at odds with Greece and the Eur

Turkey open to talks with Greece without preconditions: foreign minister

During a meeting with his German counterpart, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said his government is ready for talks with Greece, but without preconditions.

Intel: Washington condemns Erdogan’s meeting with Hamas leadership

The US State Department has condemned the Turkish president’s recent meeting with senior members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas as one that “only serves to isolate Turkey” on the world stage.