Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says Türkiye is an anchor country that can form its opinions separately from other members of the NATO alliance, and this may be helpful as the European members of the bloc mobilize amid a possible reduction in the role of the U.S., the biggest contributor to NATO.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday after a two-day visit to Russia, Fidan said European leaders trusted Türkiye, specifically President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to manage the process in July’s NATO summit in Ankara.

“There are many important issues to be discussed at the summit, and they wouldn’t be decided upon without the participation of the U.S. president. European countries believe that the most important factor ensuring Trump’s participation was the fact that the summit will be held in Türkiye. He wouldn’t come if it wasn’t for our president, for Türkiye, and his absence would be a declaration that he no longer attaches importance to (NATO),” he said. Trump often boasts about having a good relationship with Erdoğan and most recently heaped praise on the Turkish leader for “doing a good job in Syria’s recovery.”

Fidan stated that NATO roughly consisted of three groups: the United States, the European Union and other countries. “Türkiye is the only country forming its own opinion, acting as an anchor (in the third group),” the minister underlined. He added that the Ankara summit would reinforce Türkiye’s international role and its position in NATO.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday hailed progress by NATO allies to meet defense spending vows, but said some must “do more,” as he struck a conciliatory tone at an alliance meeting.

“Many countries are following through, some that still need to do more, and we will be candid about that, both in private and in public,” Hegseth said ahead of talks with NATO defense ministers in Brussels. “I think that’s important, friends being honest with friends.”

The warm tone will likely reassure Washington’s allies ahead of the Ankara summit, after the mercurial leader lashed out at Europe over its response to his war on Iran.

NATO will look to showcase increased expenditure by Europe to prove to Trump it is progressing on a pledge last year to reach 5% of GDP on defense-related spending.

“When it comes to spending, what we are seeing is staggering amounts of money coming in,” NATO chief Mark Rutte said.

“Europe and Canada are spending in 2025 more than $90 billion extra compared to 2024, which is almost a 20% increase in defense spending.”

Despite the positive spin from the alliance, a NATO official said that three European countries, including Slovenia and Czechia, are currently on course to fall short of a crucial two percent threshold this year.

Washington has been clear with Europe that it wants NATO allies on the continent to take over primary responsibility for their own conventional defense as the U.S.’ focus shifts toward China. As part of that process, the Pentagon has told allies it is reducing the number of assets worldwide that it makes available to NATO. The U.S. move has sparked fear it could leave Europe vulnerable in the face of an aggressive Russia as allies still rely on Washington for some key weaponry. Rutte said that while the U.S. reductions were “immediate,” it didn’t mean that Washington wouldn’t be there if NATO faced an attack. “Then all allies, including the U.S., will max out what they can do to make sure we can fight the war,” he said.

U.S. and German media reported that the cuts include a third of the 150 U.S. F-16 and F-15 jets designated for NATO, plus refuelling and reconnaissance aircraft, bombers and drones. The reports said a submarine that can launch cruise missiles is also being taken out, along with one of two aircraft carrier groups. “By and large, we’ll be able to compensate for many things. But we need a bit more time, and that is the clear message,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.

“It is difficult and dangerous for the security of NATO territory in Europe if capabilities are withdrawn very quickly without it being clear when they can be offset.”

While NATO focuses on its own security, allies will also hold talks on bolstering support for Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will join a meeting of Kyiv’s military backers at NATO later in the day before heading to a summit of EU leaders. Ukraine is hoping to build on momentum from a positive meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump at the G-7 in Evian to secure more backing in its fight with Russia.

Russian-Turkish ties

Fidan also commented on his visit, where he met his counterpart Sergey Lavrov, was received by President Vladimir Putin, and held talks with top security officials and businesspeople. He described the visit as fruitful and assured that there was no change in Turkish-Russian relations. “Bilateral talks indicated that we have problems working together on regional issues. Both countries are willing to cooperate in every field,” he said.

The minister noted that Türkiye and Russia can frankly discuss tough, sensitive issues. “We developed a special relationship with Russians. Even in times of challenges in relations, we managed to build trust. Leaders of both countries have the same vision: defending their countries’ interests in the framework of certain principles. They are ready to adapt constructive stance,” he said.

On the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which Ankara sought to mediate, Fidan said Russia did not change its view of the conflict.

On regional cooperation in the South Caucasus, Fidan said that they agreed with Russians for implementation of the 3+3 mechanism, referring to a regional cooperation platform comprised Türkiye, Russia, Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. “The cooperation should replace competition in the region. This is becoming more common now in light of the latest developments in the Middle East. This viewpoint may strengthen our economies and increase stability. The domination approach should end. Peace and stability will benefit everyone,” he said.

Fidan, on the other hand, acknowledged obstacles to the mechanism, stating that mutual distrust between some countries dramatically escalated. On the opposite side, he recalled last week’s trilateral meeting of foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Georgia in Türkiye. “We can work especially on connectivity. We discussed linking the Middle Corridor to Türkiye, and we believe we can take important steps,” he said.

Ties with Armenia

On normalization with Armenia, Fidan noted that the Pashinyan government took important steps to that extent. “Thanks to the will of our president, many significant steps were taken, including direct trade and flights. As we stated after the recent parliamentary elections in Armenia, we hope that Armenia will take more steps and once circumstances are appropriate, we are ready for normalization,” he said.

During the tenure of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the two countries took significant steps for normalization.

In 2021, Türkiye’s former ambassador to Washington, Serdar Kılıç, was appointed as Türkiye’s special representative, while Rubinyan was appointed as Armenia’s counterpart.

Kılıç and Rubinyan met in Moscow in January 2022. Türkiye and Armenia agreed to continue negotiations aimed at the full normalization of relations without preconditions. This process was welcomed positively by the international community.

Flights between Armenia and Türkiye, which had ended in 2020, resumed on Feb. 2, 2022. An aircraft departing from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport in Istanbul landed at Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan.

As of Jan. 1, 2023, direct air cargo trade between Türkiye and Armenia became possible.

Restrictions preventing users in Türkiye from accessing websites in Armenia were also removed, with the exception of websites belonging to Armenia’s official institutions.

While negotiations continued, both sides continued to send positive messages regarding the process. In 2024, Armenia announced that the Armenian side of the Alican Border Gate (the Margara Border Crossing) on the Turkish border had been completely renovated and made ready for service.

Under a decision taken by the two sides at the end of 2025, holders of diplomatic, service and special passports from Türkiye and Armenia became eligible to obtain free e-visas as of Jan. 1, 2026, providing greater visa facilitation.

Following talks on May 4 between Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and Pashinyan, a memorandum of understanding was signed regarding the joint restoration of the Ani Bridge, with one end in Türkiye and the other in Armenia.

U.S.-Iran deal

On the key deal between the U.S. and Iran to end their conflict, Fidan said the two countries have reached an agreement in principle on key elements, but technical issues, including the fate of Iran’s enriched uranium and the implementation of a future enrichment moratorium, remain unresolved. He said technical teams still needed to determine how 400 kilograms of enriched uranium in Iran would be diluted, monitored and verified.

“There is a principled understanding regarding the dilution of 400 kilograms of enriched uranium in Iran. But who will carry out the dilution, who will oversee it, and how it will be verified still need to be discussed,” he said.

Fidan said wartime conditions, mutual distrust and regional developments, including Israel’s occupation of Lebanon, had slowed negotiations between Washington and Tehran.

“While the U.S. side could respond within an hour, the Iranians sometimes needed a week,” he said, adding that he had encouraged both sides to engage in direct talks.

The Turkish foreign minister also criticized Israel’s regional policies, calling them “a global problem.”

“Israel wants destruction in the region. It wants to occupy some countries and employ terrorism. This has consequences for global security as well as the economy. We are seeing Israel face increasing diplomatic backlash.

“We hope this diplomatic response will produce results and that all countries in our region will live in peace, stability and prosperity,” he said.

Fidan said the conflict involving Iran, the U.S. and Israel had shifted international attention away from Gaza but expressed hope regional countries would refocus on the enclave once the crisis eased. He added that efforts to reach a framework agreement for the second phase of Gaza cease-fire negotiations were continuing with the involvement of Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT).

Turkish authorities on Friday detained dozens of suspects, including the mayors of two opposition-run municipalities, as part of separate investigations into alleged bribery, corruption and abuse of office.

In Istanbul, prosecutors ordered the detention of 41 suspects, including Adalar Mayor Ali Ercan Akpolat, following an investigation into allegations that municipal officials accepted bribes in exchange for issuing permits to unauthorized businesses and construction projects in protected historical areas.

The Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said the investigation focused on claims that officials in the Adalar district, a protected natural and archaeological site off Istanbul’s coast, allowed extensive renovations and construction activities to proceed under the guise of “minor repairs” in return for bribes.

According to prosecutors, complaints and witness statements prompted an inquiry into alleged offenses including bribery, extortion, forgery of official documents, abuse of office and violations of cultural heritage protection laws.

Investigators examined financial records, phone data and witness testimonies and concluded that some business owners and property developers were allegedly allowed to operate without proper licenses or continue unauthorized construction activities after reaching illicit agreements with municipal officials.

Authorities also alleged that large administrative fines imposed on some unlicensed businesses and illegal structures were later reduced through fraudulent paperwork after bribe negotiations. Prosecutors said evidence in the case points to at least 40 separate incidents involving 47 suspects.

Police carried out simultaneous raids at 90 addresses across Istanbul and the provinces of Kocaeli, Rize and Sivas. Officials said 41 suspects were taken into custody during the operation.

Separately, authorities seized $258,000 in cash and 13 gold bracelets during a search of the residence of a contractor identified only by the initials M.Ö., a former member of the Adalar Municipal Council, according to local media reports.

In a separate operation on the same day, gendarmerie forces detained Silifke Mayor Mustafa Turgut and several municipal employees in the southern province of Mersin.

Security forces raided Silifke Municipality headquarters early Friday and conducted searches inside the building as part of an ongoing investigation. Authorities have not yet disclosed the full scope of the allegations or the number of people detained.

The operations are the latest in a series of investigations targeting local administrations across Türkiye, where corruption allegations involving municipal officials have increasingly drawn public and political scrutiny.

Turkish authorities emphasized that the investigations remain ongoing and that all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

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Turkish and Central Asian officials on Wednesday highlighted growing strategic cooperation in trade, energy, connectivity and technology as the Central Asia-Türkiye Forum opened in Ankara amid shifting geopolitical and economic dynamics.

The forum, organized by the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA), the International Institute for Central Asia and Hasan Kalyoncu University under the theme “A Shared Future in a Changing World,” brought together policymakers, diplomats and academics from Türkiye and Central Asia.

Speaking at the opening session, SETA Foreign Policy Research Director Murat Yeşiltaş said the international system is undergoing a period of profound transformation, making dialogue among reliable partners increasingly important.

“Relations between Türkiye and Central Asia are not merely the result of geopolitical calculations,” Yeşiltaş said, emphasizing the role of shared history, culture and heritage in shaping cooperation.

He noted that the region has become increasingly central to global connectivity, energy security, transportation corridors, supply chains and regional stability.

SETA Coordinator General Nebi Miş said strong political will and regular dialogue among leaders had helped transform a common identity into political cooperation. He argued that partnerships based on trust and shared values are becoming a strategic advantage as global supply chains, energy routes and transportation networks are reconfigured.

Miş stressed that infrastructure projects and trade alone are insufficient to sustain long-term cooperation, calling for shared analyses, coordinated regulatory frameworks and joint assessments of global risks.

Javlon Vakhabov, director of the International Institute for Central Asia and deputy foreign policy adviser to the Uzbek president, noted Türkiye has consistently supported the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Central Asian states since they gained independence.

Describing Türkiye as a close friend and strategic partner, Vakhabov said Ankara plays an important role in promoting regional connectivity and dialogue across the Middle East, Central Asia and the broader Eurasian region.

He also highlighted the growing importance of the Middle Corridor, describing it as a backbone of cooperation between Türkiye and Central Asia.

Vakhabov said future collaboration should increasingly focus on technology and digital transformation, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital public services, agricultural technologies and water-saving solutions.

Uzbek Ambassador Ilham Haydarov pointed to significant progress in bilateral relations over the past 18 months, while Türkiye’s Ambassador to Tashkent Ufuk Ulutaş, speaking virtually, said political dialogue and cooperation between the two countries have expanded rapidly in recent years.

Participants said the forum offers an opportunity to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, energy, logistics and digital connectivity at a time of growing uncertainty in the international system.

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Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz criticized the European Union at an event in Ankara where projects jointly financed by the bloc and Türkiye were touted, in the wake of a report calling for sanctions for Türkiye’s justice minister, which was voted on by the European Parliament on Wednesday.

Unlike the tone of the report, the remarks of Yılmaz were kinder but not without pointed barbs. He highlighted Europe had two faces. “One is a European Union guaranteeing lasting peace and the second is a bloc where narrow-minded interests are prioritized, cultural isolationism, xenophobia and far-right are on the rise. The second one is not the Europe we want to be a member of,” Yılmaz said.

Türkiye has sought accession to the 27-nation bloc for decades, only to see its bid stalled time after time for a wide variety of reasons. For every stage of progress in the membership process, Ankara faced a major obstacle, often the result of antagonism by some members of the bloc towards Türkiye.

The European Parliament report suggested sanctions against Türkiye, particularly Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, former chief prosecutor of Istanbul who tackled major corruption cases against the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) before he was appointed as minister in February. The report adopts the exact narrative of the CHP, which claims the cases are politically motivated. Since the widespread corruption allegations emerged in 2024 and later at the municipalities, particularly the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), the CHP has sought support from Europe, with its former leader Özgür Özel contacting EU lawmakers and penning articles implying a request for assistance to support the CHP in future elections.

After the report was approved, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement and accused the assembly of relying on misinformation, ideological bias and unfounded allegations while attempting to undermine the improving momentum in Türkiye-European Union relations.

Yılmaz said Türkiye-European Union relations should be developed on the basis of the EU acquis and unbiased assessment, “rather than perception, debate, populist discourse.”

“The European Union should apply the same criteria for other candidate countries. However, due to narrow-minded viewpoints of some countries, membership chapters have not been opened for years. The reports on the accession process contain criticism, but what the EU should do is clear. They should advance in membership stages and check whether Türkiye complied with the criteria. If there are differences, they can be resolved through joint work,” he said.

“Unfortunately, from time to time, we witness an environment where the political atmosphere in Europe will not allow advances in the membership process no matter how much Türkiye fulfills criteria. We should end this together,” he added. Yılmaz noted that since 2002, Türkiye has worked on more than 3,000 regulations for compliance with EU rules and regardless of membership, it would continue to do so for the benefit “of our own nation.”

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Özgür Özel insists on staying involved in the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) while Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu appears determined to continue his purge of Özel loyalists from Türkiye’s oldest party.

The ousted chair’s supporters managed to collect the signatures of 833 delegates for a petition on a new intra-party election. The petition was delivered on Wednesday to the office of Kılıçdaroğlu, who took back his seat as the main opposition leader last May after a court verdict reinstated him.

Some 170 more delegates also sent their signatures informally for the petition, though they are barred by a court from formally joining the petition due to a trial on vote-buying in the CHP. The same vote-buying case cost Özel his seat, while Kılıçdaroğlu vowed to cleanse the CHP of “corruption” both in reference to the alleged vote-buying and corruption cases plaguing CHP-run municipalities.

Kılıçdaroğlu, who helmed the CHP from 2010 to 2023, lost both the presidential race in which he was the candidate of a six-party alliance and an intra-party election that year. During his campaign for the presidency, he was touted as the last hope of the opposition to end the reign of the wildly successful Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Nowadays, he is branded as a traitor by supporters of the CHP for accepting the court ruling reinstating him to office.

Özel, who left his office in CHP headquarters after a dramatic confrontation between his supporters and police, was quick to call for a new intra-party election, firmly believing that the party members will restore his rule in the party. Under the party charter, the CHP is required to hold an extraordinary intra-party vote for leadership if more than half of the delegates vote for it. If the Kılıçdaroğlu administration rejects the appeal, the Özel camp is considering taking the matter to court, according to media outlets.

Rumors are circulating that Özel and his supporters may establish a new party, but Özel refuted the claims, though he signaled that he may consider it if other options fail. He told the pro-CHP news outlet Nefes on Wednesday that he was intent not to “hand over” the CHP to “others.” He underlined that they would try all legal means to trigger a new election in the party, adding that the option of establishing a new party or switching to an existing political party with his supporters were “worst-case scenarios.” Özel complained that the Kılıçdaroğlu administration was doing everything to curb the majority he and his supporters retained in the party.

“First, they illegally removed our nine colleagues from the central administrative committee, and in response, we left the party assembly. The CHP currently has no party assembly,” he highlighted.

On Wednesday, Kılıçdaroğlu was scheduled to chair the party’s central administrative committee to discuss potential expulsions and the likelihood of a new intra-party vote. Party sources speaking to media outlets say that his administration has focused on the removal of heads of the party’s provincial branches who expressed loyalty to the Özel camp and those involved in corruption cases.

According to party insiders cited by Turkish media, dozens of lawmakers who previously supported calls for an extraordinary congress remain reluctant to leave the CHP and join a newly established movement. Several reports suggest that a significant number of deputies and municipal mayors continue to favor remaining within the party despite the ongoing leadership dispute.

Supporters of a potential breakaway argue that a new political movement could distance itself from the CHP’s historical baggage and potentially appeal to conservative voters who have traditionally been reluctant to support the party.

However, political observers note that any newly established party would face significant organizational and financial challenges. Unlike the CHP, which receives substantial public funding due to its parliamentary representation, a new party would need to build a nationwide organization and campaign structure without immediate access to state financial support.

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Türkiye on Wednesday strongly rejected the European Parliament’s 2025 Türkiye Report, accusing the assembly of relying on misinformation, ideological bias and unfounded allegations while attempting to undermine the improving momentum in Türkiye-European Union relations.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said the report adopted by the European Parliament’s General Assembly contained assessments that were “detached from reality” and based on “baseless claims and misinformation” promoted by circles hostile to Türkiye.

The European Parliament report suggested sanctions against Türkiye, particularly Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, former chief prosecutor of Istanbul who tackled major corruption cases against the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) before he was appointment as minister in February. The report adapts the exact narrative of the CHP which claims the cases are politically-motivated. Since the widespread corruption allegations emerged in 2024 and later at the municipalities, particularly the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), the CHP sought support from Europe, with its former leader Özgür Özel contacting EU lawmakers and penning articles implying request for assistance to support the CHP in future elections.

The ministry argued that the document reflected the ideological prejudices of certain lawmakers and was prepared within the framework of a deliberate political agenda. It said the report sought to overshadow the positive developments in Türkiye-EU ties at a time when the strategic importance of relations between Ankara and Brussels continues to grow.

“Such an approach, which provides ground for terrorist organizations and anti-Türkiye groups, once again demonstrates how far the European Parliament remains from presenting a strategic vision for the future of Türkiye-EU relations,” the ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry also condemned references in the report to ongoing judicial proceedings in Türkiye, saying legal processes conducted by the country’s independent judiciary had been distorted and that the justice minister had been unfairly targeted through “unfounded accusations.”

Emphasizing the independence of the Turkish judiciary, the ministry said the judicial system, as one of the pillars of the country’s sovereignty, is not open to intervention by international institutions, foreign actors or political groups.

The statement added that attempts to politicize judicial proceedings contradicted the principle of judicial independence and were unacceptable.

Türkiye called on the European Parliament to adopt a more constructive approach that would contribute to advancing Türkiye-EU relations on the basis of mutual interests amid growing global challenges.

The head of the Presidential Communications Directorate, Burhanettin Duran, also criticized the report, saying it was based on ideological bias and distorted information rather than the realities of Türkiye.

He rejected what he described as unfounded assessments regarding Türkiye’s Blue Homeland doctrine, support for Greece’s claims in the Aegean and the report’s stance on Cyprus, arguing that the document reflected a partisan approach that amplified narratives promoted by terrorist groups and anti-Türkiye circles.

Duran also dismissed criticism of the Turkish judiciary and allegations targeting Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, stressing that judicial processes in Türkiye are conducted independently and in accordance with the rule of law. He called on European institutions to adopt a more constructive and fact-based approach to advancing Türkiye-EU relations based on mutual interests.

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