Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
In response to the reinforcement of defense in Southern Cyprus by Greece and some European countries due to the Iran conflict, Turkey deployed F-16 fighter jets and additional air defense systems to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) for the first time in 28 years.
Turkish armored vehicle manufacturer Nurol Makina is shifting its role in Europe from supplier to co-producer through a new agreement to manufacture 800 Gidrán 4x4 armored vehicles for Hungary.
Seeking to capitalize on the rift in the NATO alliance between the U.S. and the EU, Ankara is seeking common ground with Europe through cooperation on military issues and the defense industry.
Roketsan, which develops and manufactures missile systems for Turkey's multi-layered air defense system project Steel Dome, announced that it will also begin work soon to neutralize threats from space.
British energy giant BP became the third high-profile petroleum partner of state-run Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) in the past month, highlighting Ankara’s efforts to increase upstream production while diversifying its alliances.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos succeeded in angering both the government and the opposition with her stance towards the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 19, 2025.
The free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and India has reopened an old wound in Turkey–EU relations, once again exposing the long-standing impasse over trade integration with Ankara.
Turkey is seeking to increase its planned purchase of Eurofighter Typhoon jets from Qatar to 24 aircraft, up from an initial 12, as Ankara explores options to secure additional airframes amid tightening global supply and rising demand, a senior defense source told Turkey in Depth.
The EU’s draft “Made in Europe” proposal to support European producers of green technology excludes Turkey from “Europe” but allows the European Commission to determine which non-EU countries can be included in the scheme on a sectoral basis. The Turkish business community is alarmed at the new rules aimed at strengthening European manufacturing against rising competition from China and the U.S., Turkey in Depth learned. Fearing this would create a new hurdle in Turkey’s trade with the EU, business leaders have been lobbying in Brussels, urging officials to consider Turkey as part of Europe. Turkey in Depth has learned that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sent a letter to President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen regarding the decision.
The European Union’s push to conclude free trade agreements (FTAs) is reshaping the economic landscape around its periphery. Chief among these is the long-negotiated EU–Mercosur Trade Agreement, alongside accelerating talks with India. While these agreements are formally bilateral between the EU and third parties, their implications extend well beyond signatories. For Turkey, which is bound to the EU through a customs union covering industrial goods, these deals carry direct consequences—despite Ankara not being a negotiating party.
Turkey is close to finalizing a major expansion of its fighter jet fleet with the acquisition of Eurofighter Typhoons, marking a significant step toward diversifying its air power away from U.S.-supplied platforms.
As Turkey prepares to purchase 12 second-hand Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets from Qatar, a series of defense industry cooperation agreements were signed between the two countries, further deepening bilateral relations.