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

Turkey

Turkey

July 14, 2026

Ankara 2:33 am

21°C

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and his Egyptian counterpart, Lt. Gen. Ashraf Salem Zaher, met at the Turkey’s Defense Ministry in Ankara, July 13, 2026.

Turkey, Egypt expand military ties with cooperation frameworks: What to know

Increasing defense cooperation between Ankara and Cairo comes as Turkey seeks to offset the expanding Greek-Cypriot-Israeli alignment in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose after signing a defense partnership agreement on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

Analysis

From S-400s to SAMP/T: Turkey’s defense pivot gathers pace after NATO summit

Turkey is seeking to turn the diplomatic momentum from the Ankara NATO summit into a broad defense realignment spanning US sanctions relief and fighter technology, European air defenses and deeper military cooperation with the UK.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Latest News

Lebanese PM Salam in Turkey as Erdogan seeks wider regional role

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

AFP via Getty Images

Turkey brokers intra-Somalia talks as federal rifts test Ankara’s influence

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.

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 President Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia October 22, 2019. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC11687C0E70

Are Russia and Turkey in tug of war over Libya?

Libya has emerged as a contested issue between Russia and Turkey.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks during an event at the Concert Noble in Brussels, Belgium October 24, 2019. Francisco Seco/Pool via REUTERS - RC1B74F188D0

Intel: Pentagon worried Turkey ‘spinning out’ of NATO orbit

Defense Secretary Mark Esper told an audience at a New York think tank he was worried that Turkey is “spinning out” of the NATO orbit.

dpatop - 28 June 2019, Japan, Osaka: Recep Tayyip Erdogan (l-r), President of Turkey, Donald Trump, President of the United States of America (USA), Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdelasis al-Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan, stand side by side in the group picture at the start of the G20 summit. The heads of state and government of the 19 leading industrialised and emerging countries and the European Union will meet at the G20 summit in Osaka (Japan) on 28 and 29 June 2

White House provides lifeline to US ties with Turkey and Saudi Arabia

Turkish and Saudi leaders look to Trump to prevent relations with the United States from going bad to worse.

A merchant counts Turkish lira banknotes at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1DD8429180

Will Turkish lira save economy in Syria's opposition-held areas?

As Syria's currency plunges against the dollar, the opposition's Syrian Interim Government plans to replace the Syrian pound with the Turkish lira in the areas it controls.

Armenian-Americans march in protest through the Little Armenia neighborhood of Hollywood, California on April 24, 2018 demanding recognition by Turkey on the 103rd anniversary of the 1915 Armenian genocide, which Turkey insists did not happen. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP) (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

Senate recognizes Armenian genocide in latest black eye for Turkey

The Senate unanimously recognized the Armenian genocide today, the latest in a string of major blows against Turkey within a week.

Former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu (R) holds a press conference at his home in Ankara on September 13, 2019, to announce that he would launch a "new political movement" in the latest challenge to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from his former allies. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Former Erdogan ally establishes new party in Turkey

Following months of speculation, former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu is establishing a new party to challenge President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s hold on center-right voters.

Could Turkey bar US military from Incirlik air base?

Faced with the resurging threat of sanctions in the US Congress, Ankara has brandished another trump card, warning that the US military could lose access to two key bases in Turkey.

Is Turkey about to lose its only ally in the Gulf?

As Qatar's crisis with its Gulf neighbors de-escalates, Ankara is concerned about losing its valuable ally.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MAY 24 : Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) meets with the Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya Fayez Mustafa al-Sarraj (L) during a bilateral meeting, held within the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey on May 24, 2016. (Photo by Kayhan Ozer/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Turkish-Libyan security, maritime deals spike tensions

Agreements between Turkey and Libya sparked anger among stakeholders in the Libyan civil war and in maritime drilling in the Mediterranean Sea.

Turkish drilling vessel Yavuz sets sail in Izmit Bay, on its way to the Mediterranean Sea, off the port of Dilovasi, Turkey, June 20, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1334C23B70

As EU mulls response, Ankara doubles down on Libya accords

Facing EU sanctions over gas drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean, officials in Ankara have reaffirmed plans to develop contested gas fields and assist the Tripoli government as Greek officials seek international support.

London summit exposes Turkey’s isolation, lack of clout in NATO

Seasoned diplomats say despite Ankara’s tarnished image in the alliance, Turkey has confirmed its Western orientation.

A journalist stands in front of a poster featuring jailed businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala during a press conference of his lawyers on October 31, 2018. - Osman Kavala was arrested a year ago by Turkish authorities and has still to be charged with an offence. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP) (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

European Court’s call to free Turkish philanthropist may fall on deaf ears

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala must be released in the absence of evidence to support his charges, but legal observers say Ankara is unlikely to comply.