Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Sheibani held separate talks in Ankara with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Chief İbrahim Kalın, focusing heavily on regional security and the integration of Kurdish armed groups into Damascus’ central authority.
Sixty thousand cross to Ceuta, most turn right back around, EU ministers blast Spain, then quietly walk it down.
A live signing ceremony crowning Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi's visit to Ankara was disrupted when a Development Road agreement went unsigned, prompting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to intervene on camera and Al Zaidi to confront his own transport minister.
Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi signaled a new way to accelerate the voluntary return of Syrians from Turkey, saying the government is considering lifting their temporary protection status and easing visa rules instead.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres' July 27-29 visit to Cyprus produced no concrete resolution plan or new timetable. Ankara welcomed efforts with caution and Deputy Foreign Minister Mehmet Kemal Bozay headed to Northern Cyprus after the talks.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan carried a pointed message to Kyiv: Turkey does not want the Russia-Ukraine war spilling into the Black Sea.
Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat led a high-stakes diplomatic mission in Brussels on July 16-17 to secure Turkey's inclusion in the European Union’s upcoming 'Made in Europe' framework.
Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, no stranger to controversy, has provoked a backlash after announcing a change to the newly updated national school curriculum that renames the War of Independence.
Turkey made simultaneous overtures to Iraq and Syria at a critical moment for the peace process, as the government prepares to submit the bill to parliament before the summer recess. National Intelligence Organization (MİT) chief İbrahim Kalın completed a three-day tour of Iraq while Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi held security talks in Damascus.
During the AKP’s 33rd Consultation and Assessment meeting in Sapanca, lawmakers criticized Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek over soaring living costs and low retirement pensions.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made a high-profile, two-day visit to Russia, sitting directly across from President Vladimir Putin to signal stable bilateral ties amid speculation that Turkey was distancing itself from Moscow.
Is Mehmet Şimşek missing in action? No. He's still in office, still serving as the minister in charge of the economy. But that very fact is what makes people ask 'When will he step into the light?'