"Kurdish armed groups are laying down their weapons", The Economist
Kurds hope that relinquishing their arms will help them negotiate for safety and political freedoms. Not everyone agrees with the new approach. Negotiations have failed in the past. But some of the disputes that scuttled past efforts may no longer be obstacles.
If they are weaker on the battlefield, the Kurds still hold negotiating clout. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to expand Turkey’s influence in post-Assad Syria. A dialogue with the PKK could win him favour with Syrian Kurds, and may help him woo them away from Israel, which has tried to court the Kurds and other minority groups in Syria.
Yet there is reason to think this time could be different. For one thing, Mr Erdogan and his coalition partners are on the same page: it was the nationalists who urged negotiations with Mr Ocalan in the first place. Nor is Syria a point of disagreement any more. With the Assad regime gone, Turkey and the Kurds agree that a settlement would help stabilise Syria.
“As Iran Retreats, Islamist Turkey and Qatar Surge in Lebanon”, by Hussain Abdul-Hussain, The Foundation for Defense of Democracies
The new rulers of Syria are sponsored by Turkey and Qatar. With Hezbollah weakened, now Turks and Qataris see an opportunity in trouncing Iranian Islamism in Lebanon too, as they did in Syria.
Like in Syria, Islamist Iranian retreat will create a vacuum in Lebanon that will be filled by Sunni Islamism as envisaged by Turkey and Qatar. Lebanon might therefore move from the tyranny of Nasrallah’s Shia Islamism to Chareh’s Sunni version.
What should Lebanon do? The best way out is for Beirut to shut down both forms of Islamism, Shia and Sunni. The faster Lebanon isolates itself from the region — Iran, Turkey, Qatar and also Saudi Arabia — the less likely it is to be dragged into the coming regional wars.
Erdoğan and Ozel Clash Over Eid Greetings Amid Detention of CHP Mayors
CHP leader Ozgur Ozel said on June 4 from outside Silivri Prison in Istanbul, saying, "Eid has not come for us," referring to the ongoing arrest of elected CHP mayors. He stated that the party is in no position to celebrate and accused Erdogan of using the judiciary to remove mayors he could not defeat in elections. Ozel called the detentions a clear violation of democratic principles.
In a video message released ahead of the holiday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the main opposition party CHP for refusing to join traditional Eid greetings with other political groups. He accused the CHP of becoming "a party that does not wish anyone a happy Eid" and urged them to abandon what he called their "insistence on error." Erdogan called on the party to support national unity, especially during holidays.
CHP Leader Under Investigation Over Remarks Targeting Istanbul Prosecutor
On June 4, Turkish prosecutors launched an investigation into Ozgur Ozel, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), for allegedly insulting and threatening Istanbul’s chief prosecutor, Akin Gurlek.
The probe centers on remarks Ozel made during a rally in Istanbul that evening, where he is accused of verbally attacking Gurlek, who previously served as deputy justice minister before being appointed as Istanbul’s chief prosecutor in October.
Since Gurlek took office, eight CHP district mayors in Istanbul have been arrested and jailed — a move the opposition sees as politically motivated.
CHP Mayors Arrested and Removed from Office in Widening Corruption Probe
In the early hours of June 4, a Turkish court ordered the arrest of 22 people, including five district mayors from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and a former lawmaker. The arrests are part of the fifth wave of raids tied to four separate corruption investigations launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Those placed in pretrial detention include Buyukcekmece Mayor Hasan Akgun, Gaziosmanpasa Mayor Hakan Bahcetete, Avcilar Mayor Utku Caner Caykara, Ceyhan Mayor Kadir Aydar, Seyhan Mayor Oya Tekin, CHP party council member Baki Aydoner, and former CHP lawmaker Aykut Erdogdu.
A video footage showed police escorting the detainees through hospital and courthouse corridors and the CHP mayors and Istanbul city officials being led in handcuffs, single file, to the Istanbul Courthouse. It triggered strong backlash from the CHP and legal experts, who called the treatment degrading and unlawful, citing violations of the presumption of innocence.
Of the 36 people initially detained, 14 were released pending trial.
On June 5, Turkey’s Interior Ministry announced that the five arrested CHP district mayors had been formally removed from office.
Manisa Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek Dies After Electrical Accident at Home
Manisa Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek passed away on June 9 at the age of 48, three days after suffering a severe electric shock at his home.
Zeyrek was injured on June 6 while inspecting a malfunction in the motor room of his home swimming pool. He was reportedly electrocuted while examining the pool’s motor system. Emergency teams managed to revive him after 70 minutes of CPR and transferred him to intensive care at Manisa Celal Bayar University’s Hafsa Sultan Hospital. Despite medical efforts, Zeyrek did not survive.
An investigation by the Manisa Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is underway to determine if negligence played a role.
His daughter, Nehir Zeyrek, later claimed there was negligence involved in the incident.
Kurtulmus Re-Elected as Speaker of Turkish Parliament
AK Party Istanbul MP Numan Kurtulmus has been re-elected as the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, securing 329 votes in the third round of secret ballot voting held on June 3.
Candidates from five political parties with parliamentary groups competed in the election, while the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chose not to nominate a candidate. Kurtulmus will serve a three-year term, unless an early election is called.
Turkish Inflation Drops to 35.4% in May, Lowest Since November 2021
Official data released on June 3 showed that Turkey’s inflation eased further in May to 35.4 per cent, marking the 12th consecutive month of slowing consumer price increases after peaking at 75.4 per cent in May last year. The consumer price index increased by 1.53% monthly.
However, the independent ENAG group disputes the official rate, estimating that inflation in May actually stood at 71.2 per cent, an increase of 3.66% monthly.
Gazprom Abandons Turkey Gas Hub Plan Amid Political and Technical Hurdles
Russia’s state-owned energy giant Gazprom has quietly scrapped its plans to build a new gas hub in Turkey, Bloomberg reported. Insiders also revealed that the concept did not originate within Gazprom and was met with internal skepticism from the start.
Sources familiar with the matter said the project faced too many obstacles, ranging from technical and political to commercial. Limited pipeline capacity from Turkey into Europe, disagreements over marketing rights, and the European Union’s continued push to eliminate Russian gas imports by 2027 made the hub unworkable.
Although Turkish officials initially welcomed the proposal, Gazprom began stepping back when it became clear that Ankara wanted full control over gas sales through the hub, sidelining Moscow’s influence, the sources said. Turkey’s export infrastructure, especially through Greece and Bulgaria, also proved inadequate for handling large gas volumes.
Turkey’s TPAO Signed Gas Production Deal with SOCAR and BP for Caspian Offshore Block
Turkey’s state energy company TPAO is set to sign a production-sharing agreement with Azerbaijan’s SOCAR and British energy giant BP for the Shafaq-Asiman offshore gas block in the Caspian Sea, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced on June 2.
“Today, we are taking further steps with the signing of a major agreement that will increase our oil and gas production in Azerbaijan,” Bayraktar said during the Baku Energy Week conference.
He confirmed that TPAO will hold a 30% stake in the project and added that discussions are ongoing for cooperation in other fields as well.
The agreement between the parties was signed on June 3 in Baku.
India Warns Turkish Airlines Over Regulatory Lapses After Safety Inspections
India has directed Turkish Airlines to fully comply with aviation regulations after inspections revealed safety lapses in its passenger and cargo operations, the country’s civil aviation ministry announced on June 4.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) carried out inspections at four Indian cities between May 29 and June 2. Officials found several lapses, including the transport of “Dangerous Goods,” such as explosives, without proper DGCA authorization.
The inspection follows a recent announcement by India’s IndiGo that it will terminate its aircraft leasing agreement with Turkish Airlines by August 31.
Former Top Officials Declare 'Rule of Law Suspended' in Turkey
Nineteen prominent figures, including one of the founding members of the AK Party and former Minister of National Education Huseyin Celik, former Minister of Culture Ertugrul Gunay, and former President of the Constitutional Court Hasim Kilic, have issued a strong statement titled "Call for Justice."
In the declaration, they stated, “The rule of law is suspended in Turkey,” and emphasized that “it is the duty of every sensitive citizen — a human and moral responsibility — not to remain a bystander to the current course of events.” They urged all public officials to uphold the principle of the supreme law.
The signatories criticized the arbitrary interpretation of criminal laws and the widespread use of detentions and arrests targeting journalists, writers, businesspeople, and politicians, warning that such actions erode public trust in the judiciary and diminish respect for the state.
The group called for an immediate end to punitive arrests and excessive judicial control measures. They also proposed a partial general amnesty, excluding crimes such as sexual offenses against women and children, violent crimes against life and property, and drug trafficking.
Israel Intercepts Gaza-Bound Aid Boat, Detains 12 Activists Including Turkish Citizen
Israeli forces intercepted a humanitarian aid boat headed for Gaza in the early hours of June 9, detaining all 12 activists on board — including Turkish citizen Huseyin Suayb Ordu and German-Turkish dual national Yasemin Acar.
The Israeli military confirmed that the 18-meter yacht Madleen was stopped roughly 185 kilometres off Gaza’s coast, in international waters, and redirected to the Israeli port of Ashdod.
The vessel, which departed from Catania, Italy, on June 1, was organized by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and carried a limited supply of medical aid, baby formula, and other essential items to draw attention to what the United Nations has described as a looming famine in Gaza.
Before the raid, Ordu recorded a video calling on Turkish citizens and officials to demand his release.
Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the interception as a violation of international law and maritime security. The ministry accused Israel of behaving like a terrorist state by blocking humanitarian aid and using starvation as a weapon in Gaza.
Libya's Tobruk-Based Parliament Moves to Review Turkey Maritime Deal
The Libyan House of Representatives, based in Tobruk and aligned with General Khalifa Haftar, is reportedly preparing to ratify a controversial maritime agreement with Turkey. The deal, initially signed in 2019 between Turkey and the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU), defines maritime boundaries and grants Turkey access to a significant economic zone in the Eastern Mediterranean.
This marks a shift in stance for Speaker Aguila Saleh, who had previously condemned the agreement as illegitimate and a violation of Libya’s sovereignty.
According to recent reports, the House has formed a committee to re-examine the terms of the agreement, signalling a potential shift in approach toward Ankara.
Turkey Confirms Military Support to Syria, No Plans to Withdraw Troops
Turkey is providing training and advisory support to Syria’s armed forces and has no immediate plans to withdraw or relocate its troops stationed there, Defense Minister Yasar Guler told Reuters.
In written responses to the news agency, Guler said Turkey and Israel are continuing de-confliction talks to prevent military incidents.
Guler emphasized that Turkey’s main goal in Syria is to protect the country’s territorial integrity and eliminate terrorism. He said Ankara is working with Damascus to achieve these objectives.
“We have started providing military training and consultancy services while taking steps to increase Syria’s defense capacity,” Guler noted.
Turkey and SDF Hold First Direct Talks on Syria's Future with US Mediation
Turkey and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) held their first formal meeting last week to discuss Syria’s future, sources told Middle East Eye. The talks, facilitated by the United States, marked a significant diplomatic step between the two sides.
Mid-level officials from Turkey and the SDF participated in the meeting, alongside US representatives. Discussions reportedly focused on a possible framework to integrate the SDF into a restructured Syrian military under Damascus’s authority.
The parties also discussed the planned US withdrawal from Syria, and how to manage the transfer of responsibility for prisons and camps currently holding Islamic State fighters and their families.
Trump’s Patience Running Out on Russia-Ukraine War, Says US Envoy
Speaking to Turkish broadcaster NTV, US Ambassador to Ankara and Special Representative for Syria Tom Barrack commented on the ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war. He stated that President Donald Trump “has reached the end of his patience,” adding, “you cannot say that he is a very patient person.”
He added that Turkey's involvement in resolving operational challenges could soon make a high-level meeting between Russian and Ukrainian leaders possible.
“It needs to be a meaningful meeting where the decisions taken are effective and security is guaranteed,” he emphasized. “Turkey can help narrow down a few issues that we need to produce a logical solution for all parties involved.”
Russia and Ukraine Exchange Peace Proposals in Istanbul Amid Rising Tensions
Russia and Ukraine held a new round of talks in Istanbul on June 2, exchanging proposals aimed at ending their three-year-long war.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan chaired the meeting, which was also attended by the National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) chief, Ibrahim Kalin. Vladimir Medinskiy, a close adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, represented the Russian side, while Rustem Umerov, the Ukrainian Defence Minister, again led the Ukrainian delegation.
According to Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli, the meeting lasted 1 hour and 10 minutes and “did not yield any negative results.” Ukraine formally requested an unconditional ceasefire across land, air, and sea for a minimum of three months, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.
In response, the Russian delegation offered a limited regional ceasefire lasting two to three days, aimed solely at allowing the recovery of fallen soldiers' bodies from the battlefield. Following the meeting, the Ukrainian side issued a statement confirming that both parties had agreed to the handover of 6,000 soldiers' remains—a rare point of consensus in an otherwise tense and complex negotiation.
The talks came just days after Ukraine launched one of its most daring and successful attacks on Russian soil, using drones to strike multiple strategic bombers stationed at airbases far behind the front lines.
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