I was at the National Day reception at the Chinese Embassy in Ankara when Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Öncü Keçeli made a statement “it is an internal U.S. matter” regarding the federal corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams in which Türkiye is at the center. Unlike the Saudi Arabian reception, the entire Turkish military
The Turkish Foreign Ministry has issued a statement regarding the ongoing corruption investigation into New York City Mayor Eric Adams, which reportedly involves the Turkish House in New York and Turkish officials. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Öncü Keçeli emphasized Türkiye’s commitment to “non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs.” “Our foreign representations carry out their duties in
Turkish Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK) Deputy Chairman Mustafa Aydın is under scrutiny for accepting substantial wedding gifts from bank executives whom he is responsible for regulating. Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, upon returning from a trip to the United States, immediately ordered an investigation into the matter, stating that “necessary actions will
When asked what would change for Türkiye if Donald Trump or Kamala Harris won the presidential elections in the US on November 5th, I can hear many of you saying “Nothing”. To understand, we need to look at which of today’s problems in Türkiye-US relations would be “normalized” – let’s not say solved – under
The funeral of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, the 26-year-old Turkish-American activist killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank, was held in Didim, Aydın province, Türkiye on September 14. The ceremony underscored the diplomatic tensions surrounding her death and renewed calls for international accountability. Eygi was fatally shot on September 8 during a protest against Israeli
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz unveiled the Medium Term Program (MTP), outlining Ankara’s economic roadmap for the next three years. The MTP marks a crucial juncture for both the country’s economic recovery efforts and the political future of both President Tayyip Erdoğan and Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) government. While numerous questions arise, the
I wonder if it’s appropriate to describe the conspicuously close relationship between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli, as a “bromance.” This was on full display during the 953rd-anniversary celebrations of the Malazgirt Victory on August 26 in Ahlat, much to the chagrin of their opponents. Perhaps “strategic alliance” would be a
I first heard the phrase “Two states, one nation” from Abulfaz Elchibey. It was early 1992, just after Azerbaijan had declared independence from the Soviet Union. Elchibey was still officially banned from politics, but my colleagues Semih İdiz, Aziz Utkan, and I managed to interview him in a basement belonging to the Popular Front in
Türkiye and Iraq signed a “Memorandum of Understanding on Combating Terrorism” on August 15. On the 40th anniversary of PKK militants launching an armed struggle against Türkiye with raids on Eruh and Şemdinli from Iraqi territory, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein signed this symbolically significant agreement. However, this agreement, which