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Turkey

Turkey

May 26, 2026

Ankara 5:05 pm

21°C

This aerial photograph taken on April 26, 2023 shows the construction of the Russian-built Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Mersin Province. - Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will try to offset his absence from the campaign trail weeks before crucial elections by unveiling the nuclear plant by video link. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP) (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Explainer

UAE nuclear plant strike clouds Gulf's atomic ambitions: What to know

The US-Israel-Iran war is complicating momentum in the Middle East for civilian nuclear power, which heading into 2026 had been growing in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and elsewhere.

United Arab Emirates

SAHA EXPO 2024

Analysis

Cheap drones, costly threats: Why Gulf states are looking to Turkey for defense deals

Iran’s drone and missile attacks have exposed gaps in Gulf and Iraqi air defenses, giving Turkey an opening for Turkish defense sales, but Ankara has a narrow window before South Korean and European competitors gain ground.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Abdullah DOMA / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

US, Turkey boost Libya coordination, but unity push faces political hurdles

Washington and Ankara are stepping up coordination on efforts to unify Libya’s divided institutions, but analysts warn that major financial and political obstacles remain.

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Latest News

Analysis

Erdogan’s CHP move raises early poll prospects as Iran war bleeds Turkey’s economy

Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Ozgur Ozel, speaks to the media at CHP headquarters on May 22, 2026, in Ankara, Turkey.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Israel targets Turkey charity amid Gaza flotilla tensions

Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP 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

Turkey's defender Merih Demiral makes a controversial hand gesture as he celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 round of 16 football match between Austria and Turkey at Leipzig Stadium, Leipzig, Germany, July 2, 2024.

Erdogan heads to Germany amid row over Turkish soccer player’s 'racist' salute

A hand gesture by a Turkish soccer player has strained Turkish-German relations.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is in Astana for the 24th Summit of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, meets with President Xi Jinping of China, on July 4, 2024.

Erdogan meets Xi, praises Turkey’s ties with China-led SCO bloc

The Turkish president reaffirmed his country’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the China-led bloc.

AFP via Getty Images

Turkey launches airstrikes against Kurdish militants in Iraq

The Turkish army's strikes are the first since the Iraqi central government’s decision to ban the Kurdistan Workers Party in March.

KAREN MINASYAN/AFP via Getty Images

US push for Azerbaijan, Turkey to make peace with Armenia an uphill battle

Despite some hopeful noises from Washington on a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, most Armenians hold out little hope as Azerbaijan continues to resist approving a draft that Armenian and Western officials are promoting.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana on July 3, 2024.

Erdogan meets 'dear friend' Putin as Russia, Turkey eye cooperation on Syria

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to bilateral ties only days ahead of the NATO summit.

ALTAN GOCHER/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey’s inflation slows for first time in eight months, down to 71%

The country’s year-on-year inflation cooled faster than expected in June, official data showed.

Saudi defense chief Khalid bin Salman in Turkey received by his counterpart Yasar Guler in Ankara on July 2, 2024

Saudi defense chief in Turkey, meets Erdogan as drone sales grow

Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed a major drone deal last year in one of several recent demonstrations of strengthening defense cooperation between the two countries.

Armed men drive in the back of a pick up truck during protests against Turkey in al-Bab, in the northern Syrian opposition held region of Aleppo on July 1, 2024. A man was killed after and Turkish forces clashed in Syria's Ankara-controlled northwest, a war monitor said, in demonstrations sparked by violence against Syrians in Turkey a day earlier. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP) (Photo by BAKR ALKASEM/AFP via Getty Images)

Erdogan reassures Syrian rebels but says Turkey open to talks with Assad

The Turkish president also ruled out a potential withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria in the near future, citing the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

A protester stands in front a burning Turkish truck during protests against Turkey in al-Bab, in the northern Syrian opposition held region of Aleppo on July 1, 2024. A man was killed after and Turkish forces clashed in Syria's Ankara-controlled northwest , a war monitor said, in demonstrations sparked by violence against Syrians in Turkey a day earlier. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP) (Photo by BAKR ALKASEM/AFP via Getty Images)

7 killed in Syria as Turkey detains nearly 450 people over anti-refugee riots

The detentions follow protests that broke out Sunday night and spread to other provinces on Monday.

Turkey’s Erdogan replaces 2 ministers in first cabinet shuffle since local poll setback

The move marks the first cabinet-level change since the local elections in which the Turkish president’s ruling party suffered a historic setback.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan meets with his counterpart, Taye Atske Selassie of Ethiopia, in Ankara, on May 9, 2024.

Turkey to host second round of Ethiopia-Somalia talks in September: Fidan

The first round of talks began in Ankara on Monday with the top diplomats of Turkey, Somalia and Ethiopia.

A man rides a motorcycle near a burning Turkish truck during protests against Turkey in al-Bab, in the northern Syrian opposition held region of Aleppo on July 1, 2024.

4 dead in northern Syria protests following Turkey's anti-refugee riots

The riots targeting Syrian refugees in central Turkey have led to anti-Turkey protests in northern Syria.