Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
Tom Barrack, now appointed as special envoy to Iraq in addition to his ambassadorial role in Turkey and special envoy role in Syria, described Iraq, Syria, and Turkey as 'the strategic fulcrum upon which any enduring Middle East stability must pivot,' calling for a single, consistent point of American contact across the three nations.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, known for his intensive diplomacy and negotiation efforts on Middle East cases, particularly Syria, has embarked for the first time since taking office on a lengthy Asia-Pacific tour, visiting four countries in succession.
As Armenia heads toward the pivotal June 7 elections — widely seen as critical for the continuity of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s peace agenda — Turkey has accelerated the normalization process, while Russia has intensified pressure on Yerevan through sanctions.
The DEM Party is pushing the government to start taking legislative steps for the Kurdish peace process by announcing a framework law, yet the government is determined not to take any step before the PKK’s disarmament has been verified and confirmed. DEM
The Istanbul corruption trial completed its 12th week as plaintiffs continued to withdraw their previous statements and jailed Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu celebrated his 55th birthday at the courtroom.
Since the court voided the CHP's 2023 party congress, the main opposition has been unable to untangle the knot — and each new court decision pulls it tighter. The question is whether the party can hold an extraordinary congress to break the deadlock. But the forces shaping what comes next run deeper: when and how the CHP headquarters under Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, 77, will move to press disciplinary charges, expelling some figures; whether the parliamentary immunity of ousted chair Özgür Özel, 51, and his allies — implicated by recent testimonies from Antalya and Uşak — will be lifted; and when a new party will be established.
'Neutralize your biggest rival; weaken the CHP by splitting it.' These two phrases sum up the purpose behind all the operations targeting the CHP over the past year, as seen from within the party.
Reha Muhtar, who died June 3 at the age of 66, was a television phenomenon of the 1990s — he swept through that decade like a force of nature.
According to some, NATO has to become more European in order to remain more Transatlantic. The “Europeanization” of NATO will certainly be the key focus of the Ankara summit in July.
At Istanbul Airport, one can sometimes see the new Turkish economy walking past in surgical bands. Men arrive with thinning hair and leave with careful instructions, swollen foreheads and a cautious sense of restoration.
Turkey's first indigenous air-to-air missiles will be deployed on F-16 and Kaan fighter jets, as well as the Akıncı UCAVs and Kızılelma UFAs.
The Japanese side is taking an interest in the UAVs developed by Turkey, while Turkey is eyeing the technology behind the mine countermeasures ships built by Japan.