"What Does Germany's New Military Strategy Mean?" by Yasir Gokce, The Institute for Diplomacy and Economy
Germany's focus on Russia as a concrete threat and its permanent deployment on the eastern flank, as exemplified by the Lithuanian Brigade, directly intersects with Turkey's role as a "balancing actor" in Black Sea and regional security. Berlin's claim to military leadership could put Turkish-German relations to the test, particularly on issues such as restrictions on the defense industry and technology sharing. If Germany is to become Europe's leading defense power, it will have to view cooperation with a regional military power like Turkey as a "strategic necessity."
Germany's new assertive stance offers Ankara a diplomatic opportunity to assume a more effective role in the European security architecture and to develop joint defense industry projects, while also increasing the need for coordination between the two different security centers, Berlin and Ankara, within Europe.
"The Disposable Oligarchs" by Christopher Hartwell and Tricia D. Olsen, Foreign Affairs
The downfall of Russia’s oligarchs has been extreme, but it is not altogether unique. In authoritarian state capitalist systems, such as those in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the state has clamped down on business leaders—through investigations, regulatory pressure, asset seizures, forced sales, or political ostracization—when they are suspected of disloyalty to the regime. In 2009, the Turkish government fined one of the country’s largest media companies, the Dogan Media Group, $2.5 billion for tax infractions—a move The New York Times later noted as being “widely seen as an attempt by the Turkish government to punish [the company] for its criticism” of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was prime minister at the time and is now the country’s president. Aydin Dogan, the group’s owner, was forced to sell two of the newspapers the company owned, and in 2018, after continued scrutiny and pressure, he sold the whole company to a pro-government conglomerate.
After a 2016 coup attempt against Erdogan, the Turkish government seized the assets of over 1,000 companies whose leaders were suspected of being sympathetic to the opposition. Since then, and especially in the last two years, this practice has only broadened. The future for oligarchs in Turkey, as in Russia, is dependent entirely on the whims of the authorities.
"Turkey Opposed Iran War but Now Eyeing How to Profit from it" by Zvi Bar'el, Haaretz
The war isn't over, and some of these threats haven't been eliminated. However, Turkish officials are now mapping out plans exploring how the country can leverage the lessons of the war to bolster its economic and political standing.
Erdogan's international ambition, even if he didn't say it specifically, is to replace the Gulf states, particularly Dubai, as a global trading center and energy hub of all kinds. "Turkey's description as a bridge between East and West is no longer sufficient to capture the country's strategic weight. Turkey isn't only a corridor but a vital base for trade and energy routes in the entire region," he said.
Turkey, a NATO member, is unfazed by Trump's intention to leave the military alliance, which in his view failed him in the war against Iran. It sees itself as an alternative military anchor not only for the Gulf states but also for the European Union, which is looking to establish a military framework to free itself from its threatened dependence on the US.
"From Ballistics to Cruise: Türkiye’s Missile Developments" by Sıtkı Egeli and Arda Mevlutoglu, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Four elements have at different times driven Türkiye’s ballistic and cruise ambitions: regional threat perceptions, developments in missile technology, ballistic- and cruise-missile use in recent wars, and Ankara’s removal by Washington from the F-35 combat-aircraft programme.
Ankara has taken a comparatively liberal approach to missile sales, while also taking steps to ensure that its decisions on which countries to export to were not dependent on foreign approval. This spurred the development of domestically produced small turbojet engines and subsequently turbofans.
Türkiye’s current cruise-missile portfolio places it near the top tier of developers. Similarly, with two types of ballistic missile already in production and three more types in advanced stages of development, Ankara is part of a more crowded, but still exclusive, group of countries with indigenous ballistic-missile production capabilities.
Erdogan Says Peace Process Advancing, Karayilan Says It Is Frozen
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on April 29 that efforts to end Turkey’s decades-long conflict with Kurdish militants were progressing in a “positive atmosphere”, rejecting criticism from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party that the government was delaying steps in the process.
Speaking in parliament, Erdogan said the process was moving as it should and that the necessary steps were clear. “There is a positive atmosphere, what needs to be done is clear, and the process is progressing as it should,” he said. He added that those drawing pessimistic conclusions were “acting on illusions, not facts”.
However, Murat Karayilan, a PKK senior leader, said the lack of contact between the DEM Party Imrali delegation and Abdullah Ocalan for a month was a “danger sign”. He said the process had been frozen after no expected legal steps were taken in April.
“As of now, the process is frozen; this is what has been reflected to us and what we have seen,” Karayilan said. “Neither the requirements stated in that report have been fulfilled, nor has any legal work been carried out. Currently, they have suspended that as well.”
He said the PKK had taken its steps officially, irreversibly, and mostly publicly, but that the state and government had taken no legal action. “There is no reassuring legal situation,” he said.
Mahfuz Guleryuz, deputy co-chair of the DEM Party, rejected the description of the process as frozen. “We do not want to use the expression that the process has been frozen,” he said. “Perhaps there are points of deadlock, but describing the current situation as a ‘deadlock and freezing process’ would be an exaggerated approach.”
Istanbul Court Releases 15 Defendants in Imamoglu's Corruption Trial
An Istanbul court on April 30 ordered the conditional release of 15 defendants in a corruption trial involving jailed opposition mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
During a detention review hearing, the prosecutor requested the release of 9 defendants, while the court ordered the release of 15. Those released included several Istanbul Municipality employees and three businessmen, among them Adem Soytekin, who benefited from ‘effective remorse’ provisions.
Court Orders Arrest of 29 in Halfeti Municipality Corruption Probe
A Turkish court ordered the arrest of 29 suspects as part of an investigation into alleged corruption at Halfeti Municipality in the southeastern province of Sanliurfa, including a former mayor from the ruling Justice and Development Party.
The suspects were detained on April 24 as part of a probe led by anti-smuggling and organized crime units. Twenty-eight of the 51 suspects are public officials, including municipal administrators and staff.
Former mayor Seref Albayrak was among those jailed pending trial. Four detainees were released by police after questioning. The court ordered the release of three others, while 14 suspects were placed under judicial supervision.
Trade Deficit Widens 56% in March
Turkey’s foreign trade deficit widened sharply in March, as exports fell and imports rose, data from the Turkish Statistical Institute and the Ministry of Trade showed.
Exports declined 6.4% from the same month last year to $21.899 billion, while imports rose 8.2% to $33.120 billion. The trade deficit increased 56% to $11.221 billion. The export-to-import coverage ratio fell to 66.1% in March from 76.5% in the same month last year.
In the January-March period, exports decreased 3.2% to $63.227 billion, while imports rose 4.7% to $91.895 billion. The trade deficit widened 27.5% to $28.667 billion during the period.
According to the Trade Ministry’s data for March 2026, the trade deficit reached $98.3 billion over the last 12 months.
Turkey Unveils Tax Incentives to Attract Investment
Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek unveiled details on April 27 of a broad package of incentives aimed at boosting Turkey’s competitiveness, attracting investment, and positioning Istanbul as a leading financial gateway in the region.
Speaking at a press conference, Simsek said Turkey would extend a tax exemption on service exports to 100%, targeting high-value sectors such as software, gaming, and medical tourism. He added that Turkey would also reduce the corporate tax rate for manufacturing exporters to 9% to strengthen competitiveness and attract foreign direct investment.
Some of the incentives, including zero corporate income tax on transit trade, are aimed at companies located in the Istanbul Financial Center, a new state-backed cluster of glass towers on the city’s Asian side.
Turkey’s Military Spending Rose to $30 Billion in 2025
Turkey posted the largest increase in military spending among Middle Eastern countries in 2025, with expenditure rising to $30 billion, Al-Monitor reported, citing newly released data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute on April 27.
SIPRI said Turkey’s military spending reached $30 billion in 2025, up 7.2% from 2024 and 94% from 2016, placing the country 18th globally.
The rise was mainly driven by investment in Turkey’s domestic defense industry, SIPRI said, citing allocations to the government-controlled Defense Industry Support Fund. The fund, an off-budget mechanism used to finance domestic arms production and procurement, received 25% more funding year-on-year and accounted for 22% of total military spending in 2025.
Rosatom in Partnership Talks for Akkuyu Nuclear Plant
Russian state-owned nuclear company Rosatom is in talks with three Turkish companies on the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, where test production at the first 1,200-megawatt unit is planned to begin in the last quarter of the year, Anka News Agency reported. Citing sources, Anka said Rosatom wants to partner with Elektrik Uretim AS, known as EUAS, or another state-owned company. Turkey is taking a cautious approach to the request, the report said.
The cost of Akkuyu, initially estimated at $20 billion when the agreement with Russia was signed, has now risen to $27-28 billion, Anka reported.
Sources said Rosatom had been in talks with Turkish companies over possible partnerships for some time. “There is information that negotiations are underway with two or three Turkish companies. The chosen partner doesn't need to receive the entire 49% stake; a smaller stake may also be transferred,” they said.
The sources also said no financing problems were expected for the first unit by the end of this year: “BOTAS imports natural gas from Gazprom. Russia is allocating 50% of the money BOTAS pays for natural gas to this project.”
Belgium to Send Royal Economic Mission to Turkey in May
Belgium will send a 450-member economic mission led by Queen Mathilde to Turkey in May, with defense and aerospace among the main areas of planned cooperation, Dunya news website reported on April 27, citing Belgium’s ambassador to Turkey.
The visit, scheduled for May 10 to 14, will be the first Belgian economic mission to Turkey at the royal level in 14 years. The delegation will include 194 companies, 17 federations and chambers of commerce, eight universities, and Belgian government institutions, Ambassador Hendrik Van de Velde said.
The mission will begin in Istanbul on May 10 and continue in Ankara on May 13 and 14. Belgian federal and regional ministers are expected to accompany the queen. Ambassador Van de Velde said agreements on joint business projects are expected to be signed during the visit.
European Officials Raise Concerns Over Local Democracy in Turkey
Representatives of several major European institutions have sent a joint letter to Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci expressing concern over local democracy in Turkey, citing the prolonged detention of elected officials and its impact on democratic governance.
The move was announced on April 27 by Nacho Sanchez Amor, the European Parliament’s rapporteur on Turkey, who described the joint message as an “unprecedented move” in a post on X.
The letter was signed by rapporteurs on Turkey from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, the European Parliament, and the European Committee of the Regions.
In the letter, addressed to Ciftci, the officials said recent developments had raised serious concerns about the functioning of local democracy. They said they had repeatedly raised the issue in political dialogue with Turkish authorities and reiterated their willingness to continue engagement.
They also said they were ready to support Turkey in meeting its democratic commitments as a member of the Council of Europe and a strategic partner of the European Union.
U.N. Experts Raise Concerns Over Turkey’s Counterterrorism Laws
United Nations special rapporteurs have raised serious concerns about Turkey’s use of counterterrorism laws to judicially harass and criminalize human rights defenders and lawyers.
In a letter sent to the Turkish government on February 23, 2026, but published only recently, the rapporteurs said authorities were pursuing charges, including membership in a terrorist organization and terrorism financing, against rights defenders and lawyers. They identified the Human Rights Association, known as IHD, as a particular target.
The rapporteurs urged Turkey to review its counterterrorism law and called for interim measures to halt ongoing violations and ensure accountability for any reported ill-treatment.
Turkey Falls to 163rd in Press Freedom Index
Reporters Without Borders has published its 2026 World Press Freedom Index, ranking Turkey 163rd out of 180 countries, down from 159th last year. Turkey was placed below Iraq, Sudan, and above Yemen and Belarus in the index.
The report said “authoritarianism is gaining strength and media pluralism is being questioned” in Turkey. It also criticized Turkey for “using every means to weaken critics.”
Turkey Releases Hundreds Detained at Istanbul May Day Rallies
Turkish police used tear gas and detained hundreds of people during May Day demonstrations in Istanbul on May 1.
The Progressive Lawyers Association, known as CHD, initially said at least 370 people were detained in Istanbul, where police fired tear gas from riot-control vehicles into the crowd. Images aired by opposition broadcaster Halk TV showed Turkish Workers Party leader Erkan Bas engulfed in pepper spray.
The Istanbul Governor’s Office later said 575 people were detained on May 1, Labor Day.
Turkish authorities released more than 500 people detained at May Day rallies in Istanbul, CHD said on May 2. All 576 detainees were released, including union official Basaran Aksu, the group said.
FOREIGN POLICY
Erdogan Invited to European Political Community Summit in Armenia
Turkish President Erdogan has been invited to attend a European Political Community summit in Armenia on May 4. The summit in Yerevan will be co-chaired by European Council President Antonio Costa and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan under the theme “Building the Future: Unity and Stability in Europe.”
The European Council said 48 heads of state and government had been invited, including leaders of the 27 European Union member states. The meeting will take place ahead of the first-ever EU-Armenia bilateral summit.
Turkey has not announced whether Erdogan will attend.
Ruling Party Says France Using "Extreme Rhetoric", Criticizes EU Double Standards
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) accused France on April 28 of employing excessive rhetoric against Ankara and criticized the European Union’s leadership for treating Turkey as a rival despite its candidate status, party spokesman Omer Celik said.
Celik, speaking to reporters after an AK Party executive board meeting chaired by Erdogan, said French statements on Turkey were “not based on a rational ground,” arguing that Paris was targeting a NATO ally even as it spoke of alliances with other NATO members.
“France is unnecessarily generous and bold in using extreme rhetoric against Turkey,” Celik said.
He also criticized European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, saying her remarks reflected what he described as the EU’s double standards toward Turkey, and urged Brussels to cooperate with Ankara if it views Turkey as a major regional power.
“Since Turkey is a candidate country, if you see it as powerful enough to dominate the Balkans, then the right thing to do is to cooperate with this candidate country,” he added.
Northern Cyprus PM Warns Against French Military Presence Deal
The prime minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus said on April 27 that a planned agreement allowing a French military presence in Cyprus would be an “extremely dangerous” and provocative step.
His remarks came after Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said the deal, expected to be signed in June, would allow French forces to be present on Cypriot territory for humanitarian purposes.
Northern Cyprus Prime Minister Unal Ustel said any military steps on the island would require the consent of Turkish Cypriots. He warned that moves taken without such approval would damage peace and stability.
Turkey, Armenia Hold Talks on Reopening Kars-Gyumri Railway
The Turkish Foreign Ministry said on April 28 that a Turkey-Armenia Joint Working Group meeting on the rehabilitation and operationalization of the Kars-Gyumri railway was held in Kars on 28 April 2026, in line with agreements reached under the Turkey-Armenia normalization process.
The two sides emphasized the importance of launching operations on the Kars-Gyumri railway at an early date as part of efforts to strengthen regional transport links, it said.
Turkish Opposition Lawmaker Raises Sabotage Claim in Libyan Plane Crash
Deniz Yavuzyilmaz, a lawmaker from the main opposition Republican People’s Party, has raised the possibility of sabotage in the fatal crash of a plane carrying Libya’s military chief near Ankara.
Yavuzyilmaz said the Libyan aircraft had been parked on apron No. 5 at Ankara’s Esenboga Airport before the December 23 crash, although planes carrying foreign state officials are normally parked on apron No. 1, the main apron closest to the VIP terminal. He said an Israeli jet was later directed to the same apron and remained there with the Libyan aircraft for 1 hour and 41 minutes, while the Libyan crew was at a hotel.
Yavuzyilmaz alleged that cameras belonging to the General Directorate of State Airports Authority, or DHMI, the state agency that operates Turkey’s airports, should have monitored and recorded the area but were not working on the day of the crash.
Lawmaker Yavuzyilmaz also questioned why the terms of two senior DHMI officials, including one responsible for airport security, were extended by presidential decision on April 24 despite what he described as security failures and missing evidence.
.svg.avif){kind=small}
