Politics
Russian deputy foreign minister named ambassador to Türkiye
Russian President Vladimir Putin has appointed Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin as Russia’s new ambassador to Türkiye, according to presidential decrees published Friday.
Vershinin’s dismissal as deputy foreign minister and his subsequent appointment as Russian ambassador was made official by presidential decrees posted on the Russian government portal.
His appointment comes five months after former ambassador to Türkiye Alexey Yerkhov was made ambassador to Tashkent by presidential decree on Sept. 5. Russia’s diplomatic mission in Ankara had been led by acting Charge d’Affaires Alexey Ivanov.
In a separate decree, Putin appointed Russia’s ambassador to Egypt, Georgy Borisenko deputy foreign minister.
Born in 1954, Vershinin graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations in 1976 and from the Foreign Ministry’s diplomatic academy in 1991.
He held various positions in Russian diplomatic missions in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, serving as ambassador to Algeria from 1999 to 2003.
Since 2004, he held various positions within the Foreign Ministry, while also serving as deputy foreign minister from 2018 until his recent appointment.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received a presidential welcome in Ankara on Thursday after arriving on a short-notice visit. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was scheduled to hold talks with Aoun and a joint news conference was scheduled following their meeting.
One day before his arrival, Aoun told Anadolu Agency (AA) that his country was counting on Türkiye for economic recovery and support for the framework agreement with Israel mediated by the U.S.
Türkiye and Lebanon maintain good relations, and Ankara has thrown its support behind Lebanon as Israel stepped up its attacks on the country.
This is Aoun’s first official visit to Türkiye since taking office in January 2025. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited the country earlier in July and met with Erdoğan.
Aoun told AA that Lebanese-Turkish relations have “the potential to move to advanced levels of cooperation.”
“Türkiye has a central position in the current regional scene, and coordination with it is a strategic necessity, not a temporary option,” he said.
Lebanon and Israel signed the U.S.-sponsored framework agreement on June 26. The deal provides for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territory in return for the deployment of the Lebanese army there, along with the disarmament of armed groups, including Hezbollah.
“Türkiye’s NATO membership and broad regional ties qualify it to play a supportive role in the international promotion of the framework formula and to encourage relevant parties to fully comply with its terms,” Aoun said.
“Türkiye can contribute to the success of this track, especially since the framework that emerged from negotiation rounds in Washington and Rome requires broad regional and international follow-up to ensure its implementation on the ground,” he added.
The Lebanese president stressed that Beirut is committed to implementing the framework agreement.
“But the success of this agreement depends on clear guarantees, foremost among them a full Israeli withdrawal that is simultaneous with the deployment of the Lebanese army, a permanent halt to violations and attacks in the south, and an effective international mechanism to verify both sides’ compliance, so that Lebanese commitments do not become a unilateral step in the absence of a corresponding Israeli move,” Aoun said.
“We call on Türkiye, given its regional weight and extensive relationships, to support this track politically and diplomatically in a way that strengthens its chances of success, prevents it from becoming an agreement with incomplete implementation, and contributes to Lebanon’s efforts to secure an Israeli withdrawal and reinforce international efforts aimed at preventing any security vacuum in the south, in line with our commitment to preserving stability in this sensitive area,” the president said.
Asked about Türkiye’s possible role in supporting Lebanon’s sovereignty and stability, Aoun said: “Ankara, as an active regional power, has real tools of influence and can contribute to supporting the Lebanese state and its legitimate institutions, foremost among them the army, in a way that strengthens the extension of state authority across all Lebanese territory.”
“Türkiye can also use its relations to help secure the eastern and northern borders and prevent arms smuggling or infiltration that threatens Lebanon’s security,” he said.
“We are not asking Türkiye for a role that replaces the Lebanese state, but for a supportive and complementary role that aligns with our efforts to place arms solely in the hands of legitimate state authorities and stabilize the country after years of war,” he added.
Aoun said Lebanon looks forward to strengthening cooperation with Türkiye in supporting state institutions, especially the army, while opening new avenues for cooperation on border security and combating the trafficking of illegal weapons.
On the economic front, Aoun said Lebanon is counting on Türkiye to contribute to the country’s economic recovery through investment, trade and reconstruction.
“This could be done by encouraging Turkish companies to make direct investments in Lebanon’s productive sectors, activating existing trade agreements, removing logistical obstacles to the exchange of goods in a way that eases the burden on Lebanon’s struggling economy, and benefiting from Türkiye’s extensive experience in reconstruction,” he said.
Türkiye’s Defense Ministry said Thursday that expanding defense and security cooperation with Iraq has become a key pillar of regional stability, highlighting recent bilateral agreements as Ankara continues to deepen coordination with Baghdad.
The remarks came during the Turkish Defense Ministry’s weekly press briefing, where ministry spokesperson Rear Adm. Zeki Aktürk outlined recent military developments and addressed regional security issues, including cooperation with Iraq, border security, counterterrorism operations and the conflicts in the Middle East.
During the briefing, the ministry said Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s recent visit to Türkiye and the agreements signed following talks hosted by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan marked another step toward strengthening bilateral security cooperation.
“The agreements are important for regional stability and security,” it noted, adding that cooperation between Türkiye and Iraq in recent years has become one of the key factors contributing to gains in the fight against terrorism.
The ministry said existing bilateral mechanisms continue to function effectively, with coordination on border security, counterterrorism and defense industry cooperation remaining a priority. It added that previous meetings between the two countries had resulted in agreements to expand cooperation in those areas.
While recent diplomatic contacts have increasingly focused on economic and energy cooperation, Aktürk said the security mechanisms established between Ankara and Baghdad continue to operate without interruption.
The ministry also pointed out that closer cooperation with Iraq is important not only for regional stability but also for the security and well-being of Iraq’s Turkmen population.
Israeli violence in region
Addressing developments in the Middle East, the ministry criticized Israel’s violation of the cease-fire agreements through military operations in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.
The spokesperson said the humanitarian situation facing Palestinians had further deteriorated and called on Israeli officials to refrain from provocative statements and actions.
Israel’s activities involving holy sites in Jerusalem were also criticized, stressing their historical and legal status must be respected.
“The provocative initiatives targeting the holy sites in Jerusalem are unacceptable,” he said, urging Israel to comply with international law and cease-fire obligations and to abandon policies that undermine regional peace and stability.
Fight against terrorism
On counterterrorism operations, Aktürk said four members of the PKK terrorist group surrendered to Turkish security forces during the past week. Turkish forces also continued operations to detect and destroy mines, improvised explosive devices, caves and shelters used by terrorists in operational areas, he said.
Providing an update on border security, Aktürk also noted Turkish authorities detained 468 people attempting to cross the country’s borders illegally over the past week, including four individuals identified as members of terrorist groups. Another 1,102 people were prevented from crossing before reaching the border, he added.
Since the beginning of the year, authorities have detained 6,953 people attempting illegal border crossings and prevented 43,878 others from crossing, according to ministry figures.
Aktürk also outlined Defense Minister Yaşar Güler’s recent diplomatic engagements, including telephone calls with the defense ministers of Saudi Arabia and Niger, a meeting with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, talks with the British ambassador to Ankara, and scheduled meetings with Moldova’s deputy prime minister and defense minister.
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said Thursday that proposed legislation under the government’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative would pave the way for “a new era of brotherhood,” while reiterating that the measure would not amount to a general amnesty.
Speaking at a ceremony at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM), Kurtulmuş said the initiative had reached a critical stage following months of work by Parliament’s National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission, which brought together representatives from nearly all political parties.
“Our goal is to build a terror-free Türkiye,” Kurtulmuş said, describing terrorism as a decades-long burden that had cost the country thousands of lives and significant economic losses.
He said the proposed legislation would not constitute either a general or personal amnesty and would apply only after authorities verify that the terrorist group has laid down its arms, dissolved its organizational structure and permanently ended its activities.
“This law will by no means create a general amnesty in Türkiye,” Kurtulmuş underlined. “What matters is opening the doors to a new era.”
Implementation of the legislation will be conditional on the verification and confirmation that the terrorist group has laid down its arms. A commission will be established to oversee this process. Developments on the ground will be reported to Parliament every six months.
The legislation will apply to members of the terrorist group PKK who have laid down their arms and have not been involved in criminal acts, including those currently in prison or residing in European countries. Eligible individuals will be released under a three-year probation period. If they commit another offense during that period, they will be prosecuted under existing laws.
Senior leaders of the terrorist group, as well as members responsible for bombings, armed attacks, killings and other violent crimes, will be excluded from the legislation.
Kurtulmuş said the process had been carried out with great care and through cooperation among state institutions and political actors. He described the initiative as the result of what he called the convergence of “state wisdom and the nation’s collective conscience.”
He also said Türkiye had an opportunity to leave behind decades of violence and painful memories, arguing that the country was entering a new phase focused on national unity, democratic consensus and social cohesion.
“The doors to a new era will be opened with the adoption of this law,” Kurtulmuş said. “Türkiye will begin a completely new period of brotherhood.”
He added that strengthening national solidarity, democracy and social unity would reinforce Türkiye’s position and ensure that no external force would be able to hinder the country’s progress.
Türkiye should develop its own technopolitical doctrine that combines strategic capability, secure artificial intelligence design and public legitimacy as AI reshapes global power, according to a report published Friday by the National Intelligence Academy (MIA).
The report, titled “Technopolitical Order Debates in World Politics and Türkiye,” argues that artificial intelligence has evolved beyond a technological innovation into a strategic asset that influences state capacity, economic competitiveness, social trust and the balance of power in international politics.
The publication comes as governments around the world compete to secure leadership in AI, semiconductor production, critical minerals, energy resources and data infrastructure, areas increasingly viewed as central to national security and geopolitical influence.
In the report’s foreword, MIA President Prof. Dr. Talha Köse said future international competition would be shaped not only by AI technologies but also by advanced chips, critical minerals, energy supplies, data infrastructure and robotic systems that enable them.
Köse said debates over technology policy are becoming the defining framework for global politics, economics and society, adding that Türkiye must become an active participant in the emerging technological order to avoid strategic surprises and capitalize on new opportunities.
The report describes AI as one of the primary determinants of strategic capacity, arguing that competition now extends beyond technological superiority to include governments’ ability to make data-driven decisions, the growing influence of private technology companies over public life, the preservation of democratic legitimacy and the role of human agency in an increasingly automated environment.
Researchers identify three major schools of thought shaping the emerging technopolitical order.
The technorealist approach views AI primarily as a source of geopolitical and military advantage for states. The technopragmatist perspective emphasizes secure, reliable and governable AI systems. The technohumanist approach prioritizes human dignity, individual freedoms and social justice in technological development.
Rather than adopting a single framework, the report argues that Türkiye should combine the strengths of all three approaches to build a balanced and realistic national strategy.
According to the study, Türkiye already possesses several advantages, including experience gained through its defense industry, AI-assisted decision-making capabilities, operational expertise and accumulated data resources. Cooperation between public institutions and the private sector, along with a growing pool of qualified professionals, was also identified as a competitive asset.
At the same time, the report points to structural challenges, including fragmented data governance, inconsistent standards among institutions, uneven data quality and the need for greater transparency and accountability. It says technological capabilities should be reinforced through stronger institutional governance.
The report argues that Türkiye’s long-term position in the AI era will depend on developing an original technopolitical model that integrates strategic capacity, secure system design and social legitimacy within a single institutional framework.
It also warns that treating AI solely as an instrument of technological superiority could reinforce new forms of global hierarchy. Instead, the report says Türkiye’s civilizational heritage and human-centered approach could enable it to offer an alternative governance model while evolving from a country that primarily adopts AI technologies into one that shapes its own doctrine and governance framework.
Among its policy recommendations, the academy calls for strengthening Türkiye’s national AI infrastructure, improving data governance, expanding interdisciplinary education and increasing the country’s technopolitical diplomatic capacity. It also recommends adopting a risk-based AI governance model, establishing common standards across public institutions, reducing technological dependence on foreign suppliers, playing a more active role in international technology governance and transferring innovations developed in the defense sector into civilian applications.
The report concludes that the technopolitical transformation driven by artificial intelligence extends far beyond technological advancement, affecting national strategy, economic resilience, social structures and international influence. It says Türkiye’s long-term strategic interests will depend on becoming one of the countries helping shape the emerging global AI order rather than simply adapting to it.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said on Thursday it would not recognize or engage with the EU’s “special representative for Cyprus,” stressing that the appointment carries no legitimacy because it was made without their consent.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry of the TRNC said the EU’s decision to appoint Raffaele Fitto, an executive vice president of the European Commission responsible for cohesion and reforms, as its representative was made at the request of the Greek Cypriot administration.
The ministry described the move as another attempt by the bloc to interfere in the decades-old dispute.
The statement came ahead of Fitto’s planned trip to the island and after U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made a rare, two-day visit earlier this week.
The ministry said the EU had lost its neutrality on the Cyprus issue when it admitted the Greek Cypriot administration to the bloc in 2004, disregarding the will of the Turkish Cypriot people.
It stressed that the “strategic mistake” further emboldened the Greek Cypriot side’s “uncompromising attitude,” deepened the inequality between the two sides and became one of the main obstacles to reaching a settlement.
The TRNC also said it was unacceptable for the EU to appoint a special representative when the United Nations itself had refrained from appointing a special envoy.
“The appointment of a so-called Cyprus special representative at the request of the Greek Cypriot administration, without the consent of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and while completely disregarding the will of the Turkish Cypriot people, has no legitimacy from our perspective,” the ministry said.
It added that the government would not accept any activities Fitto may carry out in that capacity or any attempt to intervene in any process concerning the island. “There is also no question of engaging with him in any way,” the statement said.
The island has been mired in a decadeslong dispute, despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the U.N. to achieve a comprehensive settlement.
Ethnic attacks that began in the early 1960s forced Turkish Cypriots to withdraw into enclaves for their safety. In 1974, a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at the annexation of Cyprus by Greece led to Türkiye’s military intervention as a guarantor power to protect Turkish Cypriots from persecution and violence.
As a result, the TRNC was founded in 1983. The country is recognized only by Türkiye, which does not recognize the Greek Cypriot administration in the south.
The island has seen an on-and-off peace process, but negotiations have been stalled since 2017.
During his visit, U.N.’s Guterres said resolving the island’s division is “absolutely crucial” for stabilizing a turbulent region where persistent conflicts have the potential to escalate.
Guterres, whose term as U.N. chief expires at the end of the year, said he’s prepared to call a meeting of the 5-plus-1 group – the Turkish Cypriot President Tufan Erhürman, the Greek Cypriot administration head Nikos Christodoulides, the foreign ministers of Türkiye, Greece, and Britain, plus the U.N. secretary-general – in hopes of resuming full-fledged peace talks.
But Guterres said more preparations are needed to ensure the meeting’s success.
The Republican People’s Party (CHP) has “cleansed itself,” its chair, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, recently claimed, but the new era of calm within the party may not last long. After losing its status as the main opposition party, the CHP is now bracing for another potential bout of internal strife following the departure of former Chair Özgür Özel, who founded the New Party (YP). Media outlets reported this week that a group of lawmakers plans to challenge Kılıçdaroğlu in a future intra-party election. The move may threaten Kılıçdaroğlu’s efforts to reset the party by unloading those associated with corruption allegations.
Kılıçdaroğlu was reinstated as party chair in May after a court ruling nullified Özel’s chairmanship over allegations of vote-buying in the party’s 2023 leadership election. Before his departure, Özel called on the Kılıçdaroğlu administration to convene another party congress, expressing confidence that he could win the next leadership race. The CHP had earlier announced that preparations for the congress would begin in September, and Kılıçdaroğlu’s challengers are reportedly already working behind the scenes.
One of them is Gürsel Erol, a lawmaker representing Elazığ province, who recently lost the race for the post of CHP parliamentary group chair to Faik Öztrak. Erol won the first two rounds of voting before withdrawing from the third. After the election, he made a pointed statement, claiming there was a “monopoly” within the party without naming anyone directly.
Ali Öztunç, a lawmaker representing Kahramanmaraş province, made similar remarks in an interview with a pro-CHP YouTuber, saying the party is not “anyone’s property.”
“We stayed in the CHP so it would not be shut down, but some people see it as their own property. Now they will face intra-party opposition,” he was quoted as saying.
Öztunç and Erol were among the lawmakers who remained with Kılıçdaroğlu’s CHP, while Özel took nearly 100 lawmakers with him to the YP. Öztunç has emphasized that they will continue pushing for a party congress as soon as possible “to reinvigorate the CHP.”
Media outlets reported that Öztunç, Erol and like-minded lawmakers would try to persuade Kılıçdaroğlu not to seek re-election as party chair. The Turkish service of the BBC reported on Thursday that around 15 of the CHP’s 44 lawmakers, who describe themselves as proponents of a “third way,” would soon release a joint declaration outlining their position. According to the report, they neither support Kılıçdaroğlu’s leadership nor are they willing to join the YP. It added that they could leave the CHP to sit as independents or join the YP if Kılıçdaroğlu refuses to meet their demands.
So far, Kılıçdaroğlu has remained vague about whether he will seek another term as party chair, though he said in a recent interview that he would “consider running” if nominated by other party members.
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