Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
Japanese Defense Minister Gen. Nakatani toured the facilities of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Baykar to examine Turkish-made aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles. His visit followed a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler.
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.
Özlem Çerçioğlu has been elected mayor of Aydın from the CHP for four consecutive terms. She also previously served two terms as a CHP lawmaker. Before delving into the political dimension, it’s worth examining the nickname she’s been given—“Topuklu Efe” (Efe in High Heels).
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.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that Turkey would not stand idly by when its security is threatened, as Ankara and Damascus signed a new defense cooperation deal.
Pointing to the long-continued pre-trial detentions over the Istanbul Municipality probe, MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli said that investigations into the Istanbul Municipality must be completed quickly to end speculation about bias in the judiciary.
The detention of notorious media-savvy lawyer Rezan Epözdemir has exposed faultlines between the Presidency and sidelined AKP members over how the party relates to the judiciary.
The Caucasus is undergoing a fundamental transformation that could reshape the region’s geopolitical landscape. After decades of failed attempts—such as the 2001 peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan or the 2009 Armenia–Turkey Zurich Protocols—Armenia and Azerbaijan have now initialed agreements that could pave the way for a historic breakthrough.
İyi Party Chair Müsavat Dervişoğlu has said that the opposition must unite behind a joint presidential candidate to overturn the current system of government.
A woman working at the Turkish Parliament has been killed by her husband while awaiting a divorce.
Five Alevi cultural and religious institutions have announced their departure from the Federation of Alevi Foundations (AVF), citing a departure from founding principles under the leadership of Professor İzzettin Doğan.
Turkey and Syria have reached consensus on 10 new agreements with a target of $5 billion in trade.