"Turkiye’s middle power aspirations" by Alper Coskun, Geopolitical Intelligence Services
Turkiye’s ambitions, strategic choices and particular constraints make it a revealing case of middle-power behavior. It is often framed as an actor exercising greater agency by prioritizing its interests, occasionally at the expense of traditional alignments, including those associated with its membership in the Western security architecture embodied in NATO.
When examined in its entirety, Turkiye’s behavior reflects an effort to maximize autonomy and pursue new opportunities without forfeiting the benefits it accrues from its existing ties.
Ankara’s pursuit of collaborative opportunities with Russia and China, or its broader global engagement in Asia, Africa and Latin America, are therefore not alternatives to its traditional trajectory, but rather complementary efforts.
"Why Saudi Arabia, Egypt are wary of Turkey’s proposed 4-way defense pact with Pakistan" by Barin Kayaoglu, Al-Monitor
Differing threat perceptions among the four countries, political disagreements over regional conflicts, Turkey’s commitments to NATO and uneven military interoperability are complicating efforts to translate this outreach into a formal, structured partnership.
Pakistan, which already maintains close defense ties with Turkey, appears receptive to deeper security coordination. Saudi Arabia, however, is reportedly more cautious, wary of complicating its delicate positioning vis-a-vis Israel and keen to preserve flexibility in its security partnerships rather than commit to a broader bloc.
Differing approaches to Tehran remain a central fault line. Saudi Arabia’s threat perception has hardened after direct exposure to Iranian strikes, whereas Turkey and Pakistan have maintained more flexible positions, preserving working ties with Tehran. This divergence complicates the development of a unified strategic doctrine, making it harder to align on core issues such as deterrence, escalation and crisis response.
AK Party Sources Say PKK Delay Holding up Legal Steps
More than two months after a parliamentary commission completed its report, no progress has been made on legal steps linked to the government's goal of a terror-free Turkey. Citing AK Party sources, pro-government Turkiye newspaper reported that National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalin recently briefed the party on the issue and said the PKK had not taken concrete steps following its symbolic disarmament.
The sources said the pro-Kurdish DEM Party wanted a legal text based on speculation and uncertainty, which they said was not possible. They added that the delay stemmed not from the ruling AK Party but from the PKK itself.
The sources also claimed the DEM Party had persistently avoided addressing disarmament and that the PKK had disregarded the will of its jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan.
"If there is concrete progress on disarmament, legal steps will be taken immediately. For this, we are waiting for confirmation from MIT and other verification mechanisms," the sources were quoted as saying.
Turkey Detains 49 in Sanliurfa Tender Probe, Ex-AK Party Mayor Among Suspects
Turkish police detained 49 people, including a former mayor from the ruling AK Party, in an operation targeting alleged irregularities in municipal tenders in the southeastern province of Sanliurfa. The operation in the Halfeti district was carried out by anti-smuggling and organised crime units of the Sanliurfa police.
In a statement on X, the General Directorate of Security said the investigation involved allegations of forming a criminal organisation and bid rigging, including during periods when government-appointed trustees ran the municipality.
Based on reports from the Interior Ministry's inspection board, as well as financial and tax audits, legal action was launched against 51 suspects, including municipal officials, deputy mayors and city council members, with 49 taken into custody.
Among those detained was former AK Party mayor Seref Albayrak. Appointed as trustee in 2016, he was elected mayor in 2019 as an AK Party candidate but lost the March 2024 election to the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, after which a district governor was appointed as trustee.
CHP's Atasehir Mayor Jailed Pending Trial in Corruption Probe
An Istanbul court ordered the pretrial detention of Onursal Adiguzel, the mayor of Istanbul’s Atasehir district from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), along with 18 others, on charges including establishing a criminal organization.
The group was among 20 people detained in a late-night police operation on April 18 following allegations of bid rigging and bribery.
After questioning by prosecutors on April 21, 19 of the detainees, including Adiguzel, were referred to court with a request for their arrest. A judge later ordered their pretrial detention on charges including establishing a criminal organisation. One person was released under judicial supervision.
The Interior Ministry announced on April 22 that Adiguzel had been removed from his post.
Jailed CHP Mayors Rise to 23 After Atasehir Mayor’s Arrest
The number of mayors from Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) jailed since the March 31, 2024, local elections has risen to 23 following the arrest of Atasehir Mayor Onursal Adiguzel.
Twenty CHP mayors, including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, remain in prison. Among those released, only Adiyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere was reinstated to his post.
In total, 25 CHP mayors, including Imamoglu, the party's presidential candidate, have been removed from office. Ovacik Mayor Mustafa Sarigul and Yuregir Mayor Ali Demircali were not arrested but were removed from office.
Following the operations, control of four municipalities passed to the ruling AK Party, while trustees were appointed to three CHP-run municipalities.
Turkey Central Bank Holds Rates at 37%
Turkey's central bank held its key interest rate at 37% as expected on April 22, opting for a pause while warning that fallout from the war between the U.S. and Iran could still alter the inflation outlook. The central bank also kept its overnight lending and borrowing rates unchanged at 40% and 35.5%, respectively.
The bank said it was closely monitoring potential "second-round effects" on inflation, noting that leading indicators suggested a slight uptick in the underlying trend in April.
Turkey Central Bank Recoups $21 Billion After War-Driven FX Sales
Turkey's central bank recouped $21 billion in foreign currency after a ceasefire between the United States, Israel and Iran, following heavy sales to support the lira during the conflict, Ekonomim news site reported.
From February 28, when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, until a two-week ceasefire declared on April 7 and the subsequent negotiation process, the central bank sold around $50 billion in foreign currency, the report said.
After the ceasefire, the central bank bought $12.5 billion in the week of April 10 and $8.5 billion in the week of April 17, recovering 42% of its earlier sales.
Total reserves reached $174.4 billion in the week of April 17, but remained $36 billion below the $210.3 billion recorded in the week ending February 27, before the war.
Turkey Q1 Exports Fall 3.1% as Iran War, Calendar Effect Weigh
Turkey's exports fell 3.1% year on year to $63.28 billion in the first quarter of 2026, the Trade Ministry announced on April 20, citing the Iran war and a calendar effect. The ministry said the conflict with Iran hurt exports in the January-March period.
March exports fell 6.4% to $21.92 billion from $23.40 billion a year earlier, according to ministry data. Istanbul was Turkey's top exporting province in March with $3.81 billion in shipments, although its exports dropped 21.7% from a year earlier.
Erdogan Unveils Tax Cuts, Incentives in New Investment Package
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on April 24 that Turkey will soon submit a comprehensive legislative package to parliament aimed at boosting investment, competitiveness and economic growth.
Erdogan said the planned regulation would seek to increase Turkey's attractiveness to investors, including corporate tax cuts for exporters. He said the tax rate for manufacturing exporters would be reduced to 9%, while other exporting companies would face a 14% rate.
He added that tax advantages for firms operating in the Istanbul Financial Center (IFC) would be expanded under the new measures.
Companies managing their overseas operations from Turkey would be granted additional tax incentives, Erdogan said. He also stated that entrepreneurs with businesses or stakes abroad would be encouraged to bring their earnings back to Turkey.
Borsa Istanbul Gains UK-Recognised Stock Exchange Status
Borsa Istanbul has been designated as a “Recognised Stock Exchange” by the UK’s Revenue and Customs authority, the exchange said in a statement. The designation means Borsa Istanbul is officially recognised under UK tax legislation, the statement said.
It added that the recognition would enable UK-based investors to benefit from tax advantages on investments in Turkey’s capital markets.
Amnesty Says Rights Restrictions Worsened in Turkey in 2025
Restrictions on human rights worsened in Turkey in 2025, with rising prosecutions of rights defenders, growing political pressure on the judiciary and a deepening culture of impunity for abuses, Amnesty International said in the 2026 edition of its annual report.
The report documented an increase in investigations, prosecutions and convictions targeting people and groups exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association.
Amnesty also cited a growing crackdown on the political opposition, particularly the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), through criminal investigations and prosecutions targeting its mayors and officials.
The report pointed to the continued imprisonment of former pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) leader Selahattin Demirtas and philanthropist Osman Kavala.
It said the rights to peaceful assembly and association were arbitrarily restricted, citing police interventions against people attending marches such as May Day and International Women's Day, with law enforcement officers using less-lethal weapons that caused numerous injuries.
Refugees and migrants in Turkey remained at risk of unlawful return and arbitrary rejection of international protection, Amnesty added.
PACE Lawmakers Urge Sanctions on Turkish Judges over Rights Rulings
A group of 28 lawmakers in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has submitted a motion calling for targeted sanctions against Turkish judges and prosecutors over Ankara's failure to implement binding rulings from Europe's top human rights court, including the continued detention of philanthropist Osman Kavala.
The motion, dated April 22, urged Council of Europe member and observer states, as well as the European Union, to impose measures under so-called Magnitsky sanctions, including travel bans, asset freezes and restrictions on access to international financial systems.
It also cited the Yalcinkaya v. Turkey ruling, which found that no one can be convicted without a clear legal basis, as evidence of broader systemic problems in Turkey's judiciary.
Turkey Passes Law Banning Social Media for Under-15s
On April 22, the Turkish parliament passed legislation banning the use of social media by children under 15 and introducing new rules for digital platforms, including game software companies.
The law bars children under 15 from using social media and requires platforms to take the necessary steps for age verification. Platforms with large user bases will be required to appoint a representative in Turkey. Game platforms, meanwhile, will have to classify games according to users' age criteria.
EP Backs Move Limiting Turkey's Role in Future Defence Projects
The European Parliament's Security and Defence Committee has adopted an amendment excluding Turkey from defence-related components of the Horizon Europe programme for 2028-2034, marking one of the most significant recent steps to limit Ankara's role in European defence projects.
The amendment was approved by 29 votes to five, with one abstention, signalling strong support in the European Parliament (EP) for a more restrictive approach toward Turkey in security and defence cooperation. The measure applies only to future projects related to defence, security and dual-use technologies.
Retired Turkish ambassador Selim Kuneralp said on X that, under existing agreements, it would be impossible for the European Commission to oppose the EP's position even if it wanted to. He said Turkey could only play a role in the area through cooperation with Italian and Spanish companies.
He added that Turkey had for years moved away from, and even in the opposite direction of, the EU's foreign policy goals, saying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's remarks about Turkey this week should therefore not come as a surprise.
Turkey, United Kingdom Sign Strategic Partnership Framework in London
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arrived in London on April 22 for a two-day visit and met British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on April 23.
Minister Fidan signed a Strategic Partnership Framework document with the United Kingdom aimed at strengthening cooperation and coordination within NATO, including efforts to bolster the alliance's European pillar and deepen defence capability and industry ties.
In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the two sides said the new framework would deepen cooperation on security, defence, trade, energy, NATO coordination, counterterrorism, organised crime, humanitarian and development policy, climate change, and science and technology.
The statement also reaffirmed their intention to increase bilateral trade and investment through ongoing negotiations on a modernised free trade agreement.
Fidan Says Turkey Acting as Broker in Fractured Global Order
Turkey is positioning itself as a key "middle power" and diplomatic broker in an unravelling global order, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said during a speech at the University of Oxford on April 24.
Fidan stated Ankara was uniquely placed to mediate across multiple conflicts, including Gaza, Iran and Ukraine. "It is no coincidence that in many international circles today, Turkey is increasingly referred to as the adult in the room," he said.
Fidan also highlighted Turkey's role as one of the mediators in ongoing behind-the-scenes diplomacy between the United States and Iran.
"I've been in constant communications with both sides, and with the Pakistani mediators ... we are trying to help as much as we can whenever it is necessary," he said, adding that Ankara used its access "to deliver messages back and forth and to convince both sides."
Erdogan Tells Rutte of Ukraine Peace Efforts, Discusses Iran War with Steinmeier
Turkey is working to revive negotiations between Russia and Ukraine and to bring together the leaders of the two warring sides, President Erdogan told NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at a meeting in Ankara on April 22, the Turkish presidency said.
Erdogan also told Rutte that maintaining transatlantic ties was indispensable, but said Ankara expected European NATO allies to assume greater responsibility for transatlantic security, the presidency said.
Rutte visited Aselsan, Turkey's largest defence electronics company. Referring to the threat of ballistic missiles heading toward Turkey from Iran, Rutte said NATO was prepared for such threats and would do whatever was necessary to defend Turkey and other allies.
In a separate statement, the presidency announced that Erdogan later held a call with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and told him the U.S.-Iran war was starting to weaken Europe. He said the damage from the conflict would grow if major powers failed to intervene with what he called peace-oriented approaches, the statement added.
U.S. Envoy Says F-35 Deal Hinges on Turkey Ending S-400 Use
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said any deal to restore Turkey's participation in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme would require Ankara to fully comply with U.S. law by verifiably ending possession and use of its Russian S-400 air defence system.
"Any resolution will fully satisfy Section 1245 of the National Defense Authorization Act," Barrack said in an interview with Fox News Digital. He said the process would include formal certification by the U.S. secretaries of state and defence that the S-400 posed no risk to sensitive F-35 technology.
U.S. Sanctions Turkey-Based Firm over Iran Missile Materials
The United States, on April 21, imposed sanctions on a network that included a Turkey-based company accused of supplying materials used in Iran's ballistic missile programme, sanctioning 14 individuals, entities, and aircraft based in Iran, Turkey, and the UAE.
The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Istanbul-based Emti Fiber Textile Import Export Trade Limited Company for completing hundreds of shipments of cotton linters to Iran-based Pardisan Rezvan Shargh International Private Joint Stock Company.
The Treasury said cotton linters can be processed into nitrocellulose, which is used to improve the performance of solid-propellant rocket motors commonly used in ballistic missiles.
EU Clarifies von der Leyen's Remarks on Turkey's Influence
The European Commission said it does not "oversee the influence" of Turkey in its neighbourhood, following remarks by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that Europe should not be influenced by Turkey.
Speaking at an event in Hamburg on April 20 marking the 80th anniversary of German newspaper Die Zeit, von der Leyen voiced support for EU enlargement and said Europe must be completed in a way that avoids influence from Russia, Turkey or China.
Asked at a midday briefing how the remarks should be interpreted, Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho said Turkey, as a candidate country, had an additional responsibility in its neighbourhood.
"What was said here is, of course, that Turkey, precisely as a candidate country, also has an additional responsibility in the neighbourhood, and we do not oversee the influence that it has in the neighbourhood," Pinho said.
She said the remarks were made in the context of the Western Balkans and stressed that Turkey was expected to act in line with EU values in its regional engagement.
Turkey Excluded From EU-Middle East Summit in Cyprus
Turkey was not included in an informal summit that concluded on April 24 in Cyprus, where European Union leaders met with Middle Eastern partners to discuss regional issues.
The summit, held on April 23 and 24 in Nicosia and Agia Napa, brought together EU leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and representatives from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the Gulf Cooperation Council for talks on the Middle East, the conflict involving Iran, energy prices and Europe's defence architecture.
President Erdogan did not attend because the meeting took place in the Republic of Cyprus, which Turkey does not recognise. An EU official told Euractiv that Erdogan had not been invited.
The development came days after von der Leyen warned that Europe could fall under "Russian, Turkish or Chinese influence."
Armenian PM Condemns Burning of Turkish Flag at March
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan condemned the burning of the Turkish flag by participants in a torchlight procession organized by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) on April 23, the eve of the anniversary of the mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
Pashinyan described the act as "clearly provocative and tension-inciting behaviour," his press secretary, Nazeli Baghdasaryan, told the state-run Armenpress. Baghdasaryan said the prime minister viewed such actions as "irresponsible and unacceptable."
.svg.avif){kind=small}
