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Turkey

Turkey

April 20, 2026

Ankara 5:59 am

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shake hands during the press conference following their meeting at Villa Doria Pamphilj, on April 29, 2025, in Rome, Italy.

Analysis

Italy’s TB3 drone deal signals turn toward Turkey amid US-NATO tensions

Italy’s expected TB3 drone purchase highlights a rapidly deepening, interest-driven alignment with Turkey on defense and geopolitics.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Kurdish people waving Kurdistan flags gather to celebrate Nowruz on the hill of Urkesh in the countryside of Amuda in northeastern Syria on March 18, 2026. Nowruz, meaning "new day," is an ancient festival that marks the start of spring and the new year on the vernal equinox, which usually falls on March 20 or 21. It is celebrated by more than 300 million people worldwide and has been observed for over 3,000 years across regions including the Middle East, Central Asia, the Caucasus and parts of Eastern Euro

Analysis

Is Syria’s Sharaa poised to outdo Turkey in formalizing gains for Kurds?

Damascus is making limited but tangible progress in its engagement with Syrian Kurds, even as Ankara seeks to shape the terms of any settlement.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Latest News

At least 9 killed in Turkey’s second school shooting in 24 hours

YASIN AKGUL / AFP) (Photo by YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Inside Turkey’s role in the US-Iran ceasefire

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) walks with Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif upon his arrival during an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Turkey on June 1, 2022. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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

A man walks in front of the portraits of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and founder of modern Turkey Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (L), on May 11, 2018 at Emininonu district in Istanbul. - President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called snap elections in Turkey for June 24, bringing the polls forward by over a year and a half after a call from his main nationalist ally on April 18, 2018. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP) (Photo credit should read OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images)

Turkish election pledges belie serious economic problems

Both the ruling party and the opposition have pledged various incentives and social welfare benefits ahead of next month's vote.

Swedish meatballs just one taste of Turkey's rich kofte culture

The Ottoman roots of Sweden's beloved meatballs has caused an amusing social media flurry and reminded the world of the incredibly diverse culinary heritage of Anatolia.

Kurdish alliance emerges as key actor in Turkey's upcoming elections

Rejected by two major electoral alliances, the Kurds have set up their own alliance with an eye on prizes much further away than Turkey’s snap polls.

Putin’s stock rises as 'go-to' mediator between Israel, Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may have given Russian president advance notice of attack on Syria; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan labels United States as loser in decision to withdraw from Iran nuclear deal.

Turkish opposition motto comes from unexpected contributor: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statement that he will step down if the people say "Enough" gave the opposition the best slogan for the June 24 snap elections.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan meets with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani during an extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, Turkey, December 13, 2017. REUTERS/Kayhan Ozer/Pool - RC1507ABA930

Ankara vows to help resist US sanctions on Iran

Turkey has reacted to the promised US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal with outrage, though some analysts believe the US withdrawal offers Turkey opportunities.

Turkey's Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci speaks at the Vietnam-Turkey Business Forum in Hanoi on August 24, 2017.
Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Zeybekci are on a three-day official visit to Vietnam focused on fostering closer bilateral ties. / AFP PHOTO / HOANG DINH Nam (Photo credit should read HOANG DINH NAM/AFP/Getty Images)

Turkey stands to suffer under new US sanctions on Iran

Turkey might have a tough time dealing with pending US penalties against Ankara's trading partner Iran.

Ancient city of Mardin gets big dose of contemporary art

Contemporary artworks at the 4th Mardin Biennial pay homage to the heritage of Mardin, a multicultural city with a strong Assyrian, Arabic and Armenian past.

Zubeyir Aydar, president of the People's Congress of Kurdistan, addresses Kurdish protesters during a demonstration against alleged attacks perpetrated by the Turkish army against Kurds, in Brussels on August 8, 2015. Ankara has launched a two-pronged "anti-terror" offensive against jihadists in Syria and PKK militants based in northern Iraq after a series of attacks on Turkish soil, including a suicide bombing blamed on IS that killed 32 pro-Kurdish activists in the town of Suruc. The PKK, which accuses th

Interview

Campaigns woo Kurdish voters as Turkish election nears

In an interview with Al-Monitor, veteran Kurdish politician Zubeyir Aydar spoke about the fight for the Kurdish vote ahead of Turkey's snap elections.

Zubeyir Aydar

Zubeyir Aydar

Former member of Turkey's parliament

Kurdish singer aspires to run for Turkish parliament on AKP ticket

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan surrounds himself with celebrities such as legendary Kurdish Arab singer Ibrahim Tatlises as a means of boosting support.

Norine Brunson, the wife fo jailed American pastor Andrew Brunson, who is held on charges of aiding terror groups, leaves the courthouse after Brunson's trial in Aliaga, north of Izmir, on May 7, 2018. - Brunson, who ran a church in the western city of Izmir, was detained by Turkish authorities in October 2016. If convicted, he risks up to 35 years in jail. (Photo by BULENT KILIC / AFP) (Photo credit should read BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images)

Turkish court keeps US pastor behind bars

Turkey’s decision to postpone US pastor Andrew Brunson’s hearing until July may be driven by electoral calculations and attempts at so-called hostage diplomacy.

Erdogan's Bosnia rally message to Europe ahead of snap polls

Having thousands of Turks from the Balkans and Europe converge on the Bosnian capital for an election rally could be a risky move for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.