Source: Al-Monitor | Ankara and Baghdad have launched a major expansion of their energy partnership, keeping the strategic Kirkuk–Ceyhan pipeline operational while pursuing new oil flows, Turkish participation in Kirkuk's energy sector, and a broader corridor extending to Basra amid mounting instability around the Strait of Hormuz.
No longer viewed as NATO’s most difficult ally, Turkey is rapidly emerging as one of the alliance’s most indispensable strategic partners. The Ankara NATO Summit highlighted a profound geopolitical shift: in an era defined by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, energy insecurity, and great-power competition, Ankara’s geography and diplomatic flexibility have become assets the West can no longer ignore.
Greece's first official response to President Trump's renewed openness toward Turkey's return to the F-35 program. Defense Minister Nikos Dendias questioned whether rearming Ankara serves U.S. strategic interests, warning that NATO's southeastern flank cannot be strengthened by empowering a country that continues to threaten another Alliance member.
A Danish journalist's extraordinary question to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte became the defining political moment of the Ankara Summit, exposing the growing tension between defending the Alliance's unity and confronting Donald Trump's increasingly disruptive rhetoric.
Donald Trump's public embrace of Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the NATO summit was far more than diplomatic theater. It sent a strategic signal to NATO allies, Congress, Moscow and Israel that Washington may be preparing to recalibrate its relationship with Ankara—although institutional and geopolitical obstacles remain formidable.
Ankara is attempting to re-enter the F-35 program, but the final decision extends far beyond President Donald Trump. Congress, CAATSA sanctions, the Russian S-400 system, and the regional balance of power in the Eastern Mediterranean remain the decisive factors.
Athens arrives at the NATO Summit as one of the Alliance’s most reliable allies, but the Trump–Erdoğan meeting and renewed discussions over F-35 fighter jets are creating fresh geopolitical dynamics that Greece is watching closely.
The Israeli prime minister urges Washington to block the sale of F-35 fighter jets and advanced aircraft engines to Türkiye, arguing that Israel's military edge is essential to regional stability.
As NATO leaders gather in Ankara, the alliance's strategic reliance on Turkey is increasingly overshadowing public criticism over democracy, rule of law and human rights, reflecting a broader shift in Western security priorities.
As Ankara prepares to host one of NATO’s most consequential summits in years, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has intensified domestic security operations, reigniting European concerns over the rule of law and civil liberties. The developments highlight a longstanding dilemma for Western allies: how far can strategic necessity outweigh democratic principles?
Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli, has praised the strengthening strategic partnership between Israel, Greece and Cyprus, describing it as a key pillar of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean while launching a sharp attack on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
As Washington and Tehran move toward détente, Ankara sees new opportunities in energy, trade and regional influence — but also the prospect of renewed rivalry with a revitalized Iran.
From the White House and NATO to Greek-Turkish relations and minority rights, the Halki Seminary is once again emerging as a strategic diplomatic issue
The escalating rhetorical clash between Ankara and Jerusalem is no longer symbolic diplomacy—it reflects a deeper contest for regional dominance stretching from Syria to the Eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey, according to international reporting, is preparing a legal framework that would significantly expand presidential authority over maritime claims, raising tensions with Greece and Cyprus.
Ankara prepares landmark legislation to transform its maritime doctrine into binding state policy across the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea
Ankara disputes Greek jurisdiction near Astypalaia as tensions over maritime control and undersea infrastructure intensify in the Aegean
Ankara accelerates its overseas deployments, reshaping its geopolitical role through hard power projection
Ankara pushes for a decisive role in Europe’s security as NATO faces a shifting balance of power
Ankara’s delicate geopolitical balancing act amid the Iran‑Israel‑U.S. conflict escalates as NATO intercepts missiles and diplomacy strains
Turkey seeks to fill the power vacuum in the Muslim world as the Middle East undergoes major realignment
