SLEEVES ADDED TO DRESS FOR THE PRESIDENCY
Anna Kviloriya, the TV anchor wife of Belarusian Ambassador to Ankara Anatoliy Glaz, said that her husband warned her not to wear a low-cut dress for their credentials ceremony at the presidential complex.
Analysis
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TURKEY’S MEDIATION EFFORTS: DIPLOMACY OR DOMESTIC PR?
As soon as talk emerged about a possible meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Turkish press began speculating about the potential venue—expressing wishful hopes that Turkey might serve as the host for the highly anticipated summit.
TEKNOFEST OPENS WITH “BLUE HOMELAND” THEME
Teknofest, Turkey’s flagship defense and technology festival organized by the T3 Foundation — whose board is chaired by Selçuk Bayraktar, son-in-law of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and head of Baykar — kicked off this year with a maritime focus under the theme “Blue Homeland.”
ASELSAN DELIVERS 47 VEHICLES FOR STEEL DOME
Aselsan delivered 47 vehicles for the Steel Dome air defense system at a ceremony attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
RUSSIAN STRIKE HITS TURKISH BAYRAKTAR DRONE FACTORY IN KYIV
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least 19 people and damaged infrastructure, including a Turkish-owned Bayraktar drone factory.
FİDAN WARNS TURKEY WILL NOT BACK DOWN IF TARGETED
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that Turkey does not act with hostility unless it faces hostility, stressing that Ankara will not step back if targeted. Commenting on President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s recent statement that “if the sword leaves the sheath, there is no need for words,” Fidan said Turkey will not wait for a threat to materialize across its borders. “We do not threaten unless threatened. If we are faced with hostility, we will not retreat,” he said.
BEYOĞLU AND THE ARREST OF ITS MAYOR
Don’t underestimate Beyoğlu. If a survey were conducted asking Turks to name the two districts they know best, the top answers would likely be Istanbul’s Beyoğlu and Ankara’s Çankaya. Çankaya is well known because it houses Atatürk’s legacy, the Republic, parliament, state institutions, and embassies.
ERDOĞAN NOW ON NEXT SOSYAL
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has joined Next Sosyal, the social media platform founded by his son-in-law Selçuk Bayraktar, chair of the board of directors at Baykar.
SENIORITY CRISIS IN THE MILITARY
Resignations have begun in the Turkish Armed Forces after promotion decisions by the Supreme Military Council and presidential appointments signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan broke with the long-standing principle of seniority.
ERDOĞAN PUSHES FOR DEFENSE TIES AS MACRON FOCUSES ON UKRAINE SECURITY
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and French President Emmanuel Macron held a phone call on Aug. 21, their first direct contact since the NATO summit in June. The two leaders discussed Russia’s war in Ukraine, the crisis in Gaza, and bilateral cooperation, with Erdoğan again stressing Ankara’s interest in deepening defense ties with France. Both later shared posts on X, tagging each other in messages that underlined common concerns but also revealed different priorities. On bilateral ties, Erdoğan said Turkey valued closer cooperation with France, particularly in the defense industry, and wanted to keep advancing relations across multiple fields. Ankara has long sought approval from Paris to procure European air-defense systems. A green light for the sale of Eurosam GIE’s SAMP/T could accelerate Turkey’s plan to build its own missile shield, described as a “steel dome,” within two to three years.
ERDOĞAN EMPTIED DIPLOMATIC TOOLBOX TOO QUICKLY ON ISRAEL
“Turkish newspapers should do more than the Washington Post,” wrote Fatih Selek in pro-government daily Türkiye, recalling that the American newspaper published the names of nearly 20,000 children murdered in Gaza.
AFTER ERDOĞAN–KAVELASHVILI TALKS, GEORGIA DETAINS 14 SUSPECTS
Hours after Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili’s visit to Ankara for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Georgian police detained 12 people wanted on Interpol red notices and two sought at the national level in a joint operation with Turkish authorities.