Turkey - AL-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent since 2012

Turkey

Turkey

March 26, 2026

Ankara 6:42 pm

9°C

Two Typhoon Eurofighter jets of the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) of the German air force (Luftwaffe) take off for training during a media day at the military Laage Air Base, northeastern Germany, on March 11, 2026.

Turkey, UK advance $11B Eurofighter jet deal with training agreement

Britain and Turkey signed a training and support agreement marking “the next phase” of Ankara’s entry into the Eurofighter program, building on a £8 billion jet deal signed last year.

Journalists gather outside the Ankara courthouse on March 10, 2020 behind a banner reading in Turkish "journalism is not crime," to protest over jailing of journalists, sparked by the recent arrest of OdaTV's news director and a journalist's report on the funeral of a Turkish intelligence officer apparently killed in Libya.

Journalist who investigated Erdogan’s son jailed on 'disinformation' charges in Turkey

Human rights organizations warn Ari’s detention signals a broader campaign against journalists probing government corruption and elite networks.

Ghalibaf Fidan

US proposes Vance-Ghalibaf talks with Turkey as one intermediary: Source

Iran has yet to respond to the proposal, the source said, as the US announced it was pausing strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure for five days.

United Arab Emirates army helicopters fly from the Burj al Arab hotel (R) toward Burj Khalifa, Dubai, Jan. 16, 2026.

Analysis

Iran war drives Turkey-Gulf defense alignment, but not alliance

Despite accelerated cooperation as a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran, structural and political constraints would make a formal military alliance unlikely.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Latest News

Turkey, Qatar pledge to deepen defense ties, blame Israel for Iran war

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani (2L) arrive to address a joint press conference in Doha on March 19, 2026. (Photo by Karim JAAFAR / AFP via Getty Images)

Exclusive

Iraqi oil flows to Turkey after US pledges role in Baghdad-Kurds customs dispute

A view of the oil refinery on March 17, 2026 in Erbil, Iraq.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

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

Mordy and Natali Oknin are seen in this undated photo.

Israel seeks release of couple arrested for espionage in Istanbul

In an incident that threatens to further strain Turkey-Israel relations, Jerusalem is working to secure the release of an Israeli couple arrested in Istanbul Friday after reportedly taking photos of a presidential residence.

A picture taken on Nov. 12, 2021 shows migrants in a camp on the Belarusian-Polish border in the Grodno region. - Hundreds of desperate migrants are trapped in freezing temperatures on the border and the presence of troops from both sides has raised fears of a confrontation.

Airlines suspend Belarus-bound travel for Middle East migrants

Turkish Airlines and Iraqi Airlines restricting flights to Minsk for citizens of Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

Burak Kara/Getty Images

Turks demand protection after woman killed with sword

In the wake of a headline-making femicide in Istanbul, activists and politicians have revived calls to return to the Istanbul Convention.

Police check approaching vehicles at a checkpoint along a road leading toward the border with Belarus on Nov. 10, 2021, near Kuznica, Poland.

Turkish Airlines denies fueling Belarus-Poland migration crisis

After EU officials threatened to blacklist airlines facilitating travel for asylum-seekers amassing at the Poland-Belarus border, Turkish Airlines denied links to the bloc’s latest migration crisis.

Supporters of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.

Muslim Brotherhood exiles in Turkey face uncertain future

The rapprochement between Ankara and Cairo has catalyzed internal rifts between exiled leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Mazlum Kobane (Mazlum Abdi), commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces.

Syrian Kurdish commander says Russia opposes further Turkish land grabs

Mazlum Kobane, commander in chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces, also says Damascus is not yet ready for negotiations.

Turkish author and Nobel Prize in literature winner Orhan Pamuk.

Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk faces probe for insulting Turkey’s founder

Following an Istanbul court’s decision to launch an investigation into “Nights of Plague,” the recent novel by Orhan Pamuk, many writers and activists are rallying to support the Nobel laureate.

ILYAS AKENGIN/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey’s Kurds revive fight for language rights

Many Kurdish groups have joined forces to promote the Kurdish language and press Ankara for greater language rights.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends a press conference at the end of the Rome G20 Summit, on Oct. 31, 2021 in Rome, Italy.

Turkey cracks down on speculation about Erdogan’s health

Rumors focusing on Erdogan’s hospitalization and death lead to announcement of investigation against 30 social media users, but online chatter continues.

A horse drawn carriage passes by in a street on the island of Buyukada off Istanbul on Nov. 29, 2019.

Rezoning of Istanbul islands raises concerns of AKP meddling

A presidential decree has transferred zoning control of Istanbul’s opposition-run Princes’ Islands to the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, raising concerns of anti-democratic practices by Turkey’s ruling party.

Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Turkey terminates post of several honorary consuls critical of government

The Turkish Foreign Ministry’s termination of posts for nine consul generals, including those from Belgium, Austria, Sweden and the UK, are attributed to some of the consuls’ criticism of government policies and their political links with opposition parties.

People shop at an open-air market in Ankara.

Turkish inflation nears 20% on rising food, energy costs

While Turkey’s latest official inflation figures beat expectations, raising some concerns over data integrity, consumer prices are expected to keep rising amid growing global energy costs.