Turkey

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Economics

Military & Security

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

Ukraine and Moldova are negotiating a rail corridor to move Ukrainian grain through Moldova to Romania's port of Constanta, with Kyiv seeking a 50% freight discount and Chisinau demanding volume guarantees in return, Reuters reported on Aug. 10.

Ukraine, Moldova: Rail Corridor Will Ease but Not Offset Grain Export Losses

Politics

Turkey's Grand National Assembly approved a framework law for the disbandment and dissolution of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, in a 468-88 vote, Reuters reported on Aug. 10.

Turkey: Parliament Approves Framework Bill for PKK Disbandment

Israel

Syria

Russia will steadily hand over its two military bases in Syria -- its only military bases in the Middle East -- to the interim Syrian government by November, with the bases turned into joint Russo-Syrian training facilities, Syria's foreign ministry announced on Aug. 9.


Syria, Russia: Russia Slowly Winds Down Military Bases in Syria

Saudi Arabia

Pakistan

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a mutual defense pact in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the Financial Times reported on Aug. 7.

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey: Governments Sign Mutual Defense Pact

Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, will introduce a bill on Aug. 5 to defer prosecutions, trials and prison sentences against fighters linked to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, who committed nonviolent actions, Bianet reported the same day.

Turkey: AKP Introduces Bill To Reintegrate Nonviolent PKK Members Into Society

Somalia

Sudan

Egypt

Yemen

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense announced the formation of a 14-member military coalition -- including Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey, Somalia and Sudan -- to protect freedom of navigation through the Bab el-Mandeb strait, Red Sea and Gulf of Aden amid ongoing Houthi attacks against Saudi vessels and oil facilities, Al Jazeera reported on July 30.

Saudi Arabia: Defense Ministry Announces Maritime Coalition for Red Sea Shipping

Burundi

Ethiopia

Kenya

Uganda

United States

Uganda is convening a summit of officials from countries contributing troops to the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, or AUSSOM, on July 29-31, Garowe Online reported on July 29.

Somalia: AUSSOM Troop Contributors Hold Summit After U.S. Vows to Pull Funding 

Ninety-one Turkish lawmakers defected from the opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, to Ozgur Ozel's Yeni Parti, or New Party, DW reported on July 24.

Turkey: Mass Defections Cripple Main Opposition Party

Assessments

Kuwait

India

People gather around an army air defense system on display at a military exhibition in Islamabad, Pakistan, on Aug. 14, 2025.

While they could unlock economic and strategic gains, Pakistan's new defense pacts with Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait will also increase its military's role in domestic policymaking and Islamabad's exposure to regional conflicts.

The Implications of Pakistan's Growing Defense Ties in the Middle East

Snapshots

Demonstrators yell through a megaphone and hold a framed portrait of the ousted Republican People's Party (CHP) chairman, Ogur Ozel, during an opposition rally in Izmir, Turkey, on May 24, 2026. 

The split could reduce the opposition's competitiveness in the 2028 general elections and further embolden Erdogan to pursue another term via constitutional or electoral mechanisms.

Turkey's Main Opposition Party Splits, Casting Uncertainty Over Efforts to Oust Erdogan

Europe

Billboards are seen ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, on June 26, 2026.

Recent U.S. military drawdowns in Germany and threatened reductions in Italy and Spain underscore the stakes of the summit on July 7-8.

Transatlantic Tensions Set To Dominate NATO Summit in Ankara

The ousted chair of Turkey's opposition Republican People’s Party, Ozgur Ozel, addresses lawmakers during his party's group meeting in the Turkish parliament on June 2, 2026, in Ankara, Turkey. 

Turkey's main opposition party will struggle to gain traction amid legal battle and deepening internal divisions, freeing up the ruling party to consider returning to more unorthodox economic policies ahead of the 2028 election.

Turkey's Opposition Struggles To Stay United in the Face of Legal Strife

Armenia

A window view from Turkey's Eastern Express train. 

Improved relations could unlock strategic and economic benefits for both countries, especially if their border is reopened, though Russia's entrenched influence in Armenia remains a key constraint.

Russian Coercion Will Constrain Budding Turkey-Armenia Rapprochement

Iran

Jordan

Lebanon

Palestinian Territories

Qatar

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

Right-wing activists gather with Israeli flags outside the Damascus Gate of the walled Old City of Jerusalem on May 26, 2025, during a flag march for Jerusalem Day, commemorating the Israeli army's 1967 capture of the city's eastern sector during the Arab-Israeli war.

Israel's quest for middle-power status will be defined by its ability to unify its Jerusalem core, which has remained divided throughout the modern state's history.

The Modern Geopolitics of Israel

A digital illustration of the Turkish flag.

Continued high inflation, political uncertainty and bureaucratic hurdles will likely limit the overall effectiveness of the reforms, which come ahead of the 2028 presidential election.

Turkey Pursues Tax Reforms Amid Economic Fallout From the Iran War

A an Iranian missile that landed March 4 near the Turkish border in the Qamishli district of al-Hasaka, Syria. Although direct strikes as part of Iranian regional retaliation remain unlikely, the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran threatens Egypt and Turkey with energy disruptions and security challenges.

U.S.-Iran Relations

Although direct strikes as part of Iranian regional retaliation remain unlikely, the escalating conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran threatens Egypt and Turkey with energy disruptions and security challenges.

Evaluating the Spillover Risks of the Iran War for Egypt and Turkey

Iraq

Members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) participate in a military drill in an outpost near Arbil, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, on Jan. 15, 2026.

Although arming Iranian Kurdish factions might increase pressure on Tehran, such an uprising alone would be unlikely to collapse the regime, while significantly raising the risk of drawing Turkey and Iraq into the conflict.

The Risks and Constraints of a U.S.-Backed Kurdish Uprising in Iran

Columns

On Geopolitics

Libya

A dark earth map of the Middle East with glowing details of cities and human population density areas.

Two blocs are emerging in the Middle East: one focused on preserving existing states and institutions, and the other on creating new ones.

Preservation vs. Fragmentation: Two Paths Toward a New Order in the Middle East

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) inspect the honor guard during an official welcoming ceremony at the presidential complex in Ankara, Turkey, on June 22, 2022.

After years of discord, Saudi Arabia and Turkey are finding common ground as they increasingly position themselves against Emirati- and Israeli-backed regional initiatives. 

Saudi Arabia and Turkey's New Regional Alignment

A digital satellite illustration shows Europe at night.

Energy

The EU enlargement chief's upcoming visit to Turkey signals an attempt to balance cautious engagement with clear strategic interests, rather than an imminent breakthrough on the country's stalled accession process.

Understanding the EU's Strategic Reengagement With Turkey

<p>The Republic of Turkey straddles Europe and Asia, forming a land bridge that links the Levant, Iran and the Caucasus with Southeastern Europe. In stark contrast to its predecessor, the Ottoman Empire, modern Turkey is confined largely to the semi-arid, mountainous terrain of the Anatolian Peninsula and the capital-rich lands surrounding the Sea of Marmara. This low-lying region contains the large cities of Istanbul and Izmir and the two chokepoints linking the Black Sea to the Mediterranean &mdash; the Bosporus and the Dardanelles. This area is the core of Turkey&#39;s population and economy. Turkey&rsquo;s geographic challenge is expanding the economic stability and development of this core into the eastern region of the country. Anatolia&rsquo;s rugged geography and mountainous terrain make economic and infrastructure development difficult, but has historically helped to prevent land invasions from the east and south. Modern Turkey is working to integrate this largely rural, poorer hinterland into the political and economic mainstream in an attempt to link its current Islamist government to its neighbors in the broader Middle East. However, significant challenges remain. Turkey has fought a decades-long Kurdish insurgency in its southeastern regions, where the Taurus Mountains and the Eastern Anatolian plateau give sanctuary to Kurdish separatist militants. Turkey&rsquo;s position at the crossroads between East and West provides the country with several geopolitical possibilities. The country is working to serve as a transit state linking the exports of its energy-rich eastern neighbors to consumer markets in Europe. Its location also invites a series of constraints, as reflected by Turkey&rsquo;s position surrounded by Europe&rsquo;s economic decline, Iranian ambitions in Syria and Iraq, and Russian interests in the Caucasus.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

Ukraine, Moldova: Rail Corridor Will Ease but Not Offset Grain Export Losses

Turkey: Parliament Approves Framework Bill for PKK Disbandment

Syria, Russia: Russia Slowly Winds Down Military Bases in Syria

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey: Governments Sign Mutual Defense Pact

Turkey: AKP Introduces Bill To Reintegrate Nonviolent PKK Members Into Society

Saudi Arabia: Defense Ministry Announces Maritime Coalition for Red Sea Shipping

Somalia: AUSSOM Troop Contributors Hold Summit After U.S. Vows to Pull Funding

Turkey: Mass Defections Cripple Main Opposition Party

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