Politics
Top EU officials to visit Türkiye for talks on security, trade
Three senior members of the European Commission are set to visit Türkiye on Tuesday in a rare joint trip that Ankara views as a sign of renewed momentum in relations between Türkiye and the European Union amid shifting geopolitical and security dynamics, according to Foreign Ministry sources.
European Commission Executive Vice President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos and Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner are expected to hold talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara.
Foreign Ministry sources said the simultaneous visit by three European commissioners reflects the growing strategic importance the EU attaches to relations with Türkiye as Europe confronts increasing geopolitical, security and economic challenges. The visit comes one day before Ireland assumes the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union and is expected to contribute to the positive atmosphere that has emerged in Türkiye-EU ties over the past year.
During his meetings, Fidan is expected to reaffirm that Türkiye’s full membership in the European Union remains one of Ankara’s strategic priorities under the vision of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The Turkish minister is also expected to stress that the enlargement process should proceed based on fairness and merit and that Türkiye should participate in all EU mechanisms and engagement processes on an equal footing with other candidate countries.
Fidan will argue that Türkiye’s eventual accession would strengthen not only the country but also the European Union by enhancing its competitiveness, resilience and geopolitical influence, the ministry said.
He is expected to call on Brussels to remove restrictions that have weighed on bilateral relations since European Union foreign ministers adopted measures against Türkiye in July 2019 over tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Economic cooperation is expected to feature prominently in the discussions. Fidan is expected to press for the long-delayed modernization of the EU-Türkiye Customs Union, saying negotiations should begin without further delay. He is also expected to underline Türkiye’s role as an integral part of European manufacturing supply chains and call for Turkish-origin goods produced within the Customs Union framework to be treated as European products.
Migration and visa liberalization are also expected to be on the agenda. Ankara is expected to call for the completion of the visa liberalization dialogue and for more effective implementation of recent measures aimed at facilitating Schengen visa applications for Turkish citizens, including commercial truck drivers.
Fidan is also expected to advocate closer cooperation on regional connectivity projects spanning the Black Sea, South Caucasus and Central Asia, describing Türkiye as a key partner in efforts to strengthen regional stability and economic resilience.
Regional security issues, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, developments in the South Caucasus, Gaza, Syria and Iran, are expected to be discussed, with Türkiye emphasizing the need for regular, action-oriented dialogue and coordination with the EU.
Since the beginning of 2026, Türkiye and the EU have resumed high-level dialogue meetings on trade, migration and security, science and innovation, climate and economic affairs. Türkiye was also invited to informal meetings of EU foreign ministers, while the European Investment Bank has partially resumed operations in the country.
European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are also expected to travel to Türkiye alongside Kallas for the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8.
The EU remains Türkiye’s largest trading partner, while Türkiye is the bloc’s fifth-largest trading partner. Bilateral trade reached approximately $233 billion in 2025.
The next Türkiye-EU High-Level Economic Dialogue is scheduled to take place in Istanbul on July 2 and is expected to focus on deepening trade, investment and financial cooperation.
Türkiye’s highest appeals court has upheld multiple life sentences handed to three brothers convicted for their roles in the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt, finalizing one of the country’s most prominent cases involving members of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) orchestrating the coup.
As the Sabah newspaper reported, the Court of Cassation approved convictions against former military officers Hasan, Hüseyin and Furkan Aslanbay, ruling that the sentences imposed by lower courts should stand.
According to court rulings, the three brothers served in different branches of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and participated in separate operations carried out by coup plotters on the night of July 15.
Former First Lt. Hasan Aslanbay was assigned to the Search and Rescue (MAK) unit based in Izmir and took part in the team that traveled to the southwestern resort of Marmaris, where President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had been staying before leaving shortly before the attack. Prosecutors said Hasan Aslanbay served as a machine gunner aboard a Sikorsky helicopter used during the operation.
He was convicted of violating the constitution, attempting to assassinate the president, and two counts of intentional killing. The court sentenced him to four aggravated life prison terms and upheld an additional 24-year prison sentence for offenses including unlawful deprivation of liberty and causing injury.
Former First Lt. Hüseyin Aslanbay was convicted of leading a team that raided the Moda Sea Club in Istanbul, where then-Air Force Commander Abidin Ünal and several senior military commanders were attending an event on the night of the coup attempt.
According to the court, Hüseyin Aslanbay was found guilty of unlawfully detaining the commanders and received an aggravated life sentence. He was also sentenced to a total of 120 years in prison on multiple counts of unlawful deprivation of liberty.
Former noncommissioned officer Furkan Aslanbay served in the Special Forces Command and was convicted for participating in the operation led by Brig. Gen. Semih Terzi, who was fatally shot by Sgt. Maj. Ömer Halisdemir after arriving at the command headquarters in Ankara during the coup attempt.
The court sentenced Furkan Aslanbay to aggravated life imprisonment for intentional killing and life imprisonment for attempting to overthrow the constitutional order. The Court of Cassation upheld both sentences.
Turkish authorities have previously said five brothers from the Aslanbay family had been placed in military schools and strategic positions through FETÖ’s alleged infiltration of state institutions. While Hasan, Hüseyin and Furkan were convicted over their roles in the coup attempt, two other brothers, Rıdvan and Enes Aslanbay, were dismissed from the military after the failed putsch.
The terrorist group orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in Türkiye, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 wounded. Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
On the other hand, Turkish police detained seven people, including five suspects wanted or under investigation for alleged links to the FETÖ, while they were allegedly attempting to cross the country’s western border illegally, authorities said Monday.
The suspects were stopped during a joint operation by intelligence, counterterrorism and anti-migrant smuggling units on the Keşan-İpsala highway in Edirne province near the Greek border.
Among those referred to court were a dismissed specialist from the Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM), a former chief auditor at the Court of Accounts, a dismissed gendarmerie officer and former teachers, authorities said.
Following questioning by prosecutors and their appearance before a court, six suspects were arrested pending trial, while judicial proceedings continued for the remaining suspect.
Türkiye and Kyrgyzstan will hold the seventh meeting of their Joint Strategic Planning Group in Ankara on Wednesday, with talks expected to focus on political ties, trade, energy, defense and regional developments.
The meeting will be co-chaired by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev, according to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources.
During one-on-one and delegation-level talks, Fidan is expected to underline satisfaction with the current level of political relations and high-level contacts between the two countries.
Connectivity and logistics infrastructure, including the Trans-Caspian East-West Middle Corridor, will also be on the agenda. The ministers are expected to exchange views on regional and international issues, including developments related to Ukraine, Iran and Palestine.
At the end of the meeting, the two sides are expected to adopt a joint declaration and sign a cooperation program between their foreign ministries for 2026-2027.
Türkiye was the first country to recognize Kyrgyzstan’s independence on Dec. 16, 1991. The two countries established diplomatic relations on Jan. 29, 1992, and opened embassies in Ankara and Bishkek the same year. Türkiye was also the first country to open an embassy in Bishkek.
Relations were elevated from strategic partnership to comprehensive strategic partnership during a High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting co-chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Bishkek on Nov. 5, 2024. The two sides signed 19 agreements in areas including defense industry, economy, agriculture, health and trade.
Türkiye is Kyrgyzstan’s seventh-largest trade partner. Bilateral trade volume rose 6.3% in 2025 from the previous year to $1.645 billion.
Turkish direct investments in Kyrgyzstan reached $1.6 billion between 1995 and 2025, making Türkiye the country’s third-largest investor after China and Russia. Around 350 Turkish companies operate in Kyrgyzstan in sectors including mining, finance, tourism and construction.
Education is also a key area of cooperation. Since 1992, 4,676 Kyrgyz students have received scholarships to study in Türkiye.
Turkish authorities said Monday that 134 members of the PKK terrorist group have surrendered to security forces since the beginning of the year through government outreach and persuasion efforts.
The Interior Ministry noted the surrenders resulted from operations coordinated by the intelligence units of the Gendarmerie General Command and the National Police, together with the Police Department’s Counterterrorism Division.
According to the ministry, those who surrendered include two members listed in the group’s gray category and one listed in the yellow category, classifications used by Turkish authorities to rank the wanted.
The ministry said 115 of the surrendered suspects have been arrested pending trial, while 14 were released under judicial control measures. Judicial proceedings are continuing for the remaining five individuals.
In a statement, the Interior Ministry said security forces would continue operations against terrorist groups targeting Türkiye’s security and national unity.
Türkiye, the United States and the European Union have designated the PKK as a terrorist group. The PKK has waged an armed insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people.
The PKK announced in October 2025 that it had started withdrawing from Türkiye as part of the terror-free Türkiye initiative, months after it began abandoning arms in northern Iraq.
The terror-free initiative launched by a government ally in 2024 has entered into a new phase: the withdrawal. In a ceremony in Iraq, the group made a statement about the process, with some members, reportedly those who left Türkiye for the withdrawal, in attendance.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Monday that Euro-Atlantic security was at a “historic turning point,” calling on NATO allies to strengthen solidarity and warning that mounting conflicts, terrorism and irregular migration require a new approach to collective security.
Speaking at a luncheon at the NATO Parliamentary Summit in Istanbul, Erdoğan said the gathering carried added significance ahead of the NATO leaders’ summit scheduled for July 7-8 in Ankara.
“The Euro-Atlantic security architecture is at a historic crossroads,” Erdoğan said. “Wars, crises, terrorism and irregular migration, particularly along NATO’s eastern and southeastern borders, require us to reshape our understanding of security.”
He said traditional assumptions about global politics and security were no longer sufficient in a world marked by growing instability and uncertainty.
Erdoğan argued that recent conflicts, particularly in Gaza and Lebanon, had exposed the limitations of existing international institutions while reinforcing the importance of NATO’s deterrence and unity.
“In this environment, preserving NATO’s deterrence and strengthening solidarity among allies have become even more critical,” he noted.
The Turkish president said Türkiye, which shares more than 1,800 kilometers of land borders with conflict regions, has become one of the alliance’s key contributors through its military capabilities, defense industry and participation in NATO missions.
He said Ankara has accumulated extensive experience in managing regional crises and would continue sharing that expertise with allies during the upcoming NATO summit.
Erdoğan also said expectations for the Ankara summit were high both among NATO members and the wider international community, expressing hope that the meeting would produce outcomes that reinforce alliance solidarity while respecting the national security concerns of individual allies.
Türkiye will host the leaders’ summit of the alliance for the second time in more than two decades. Heads of state and top figures from member countries will be in Ankara for the summit.
Highlighting Türkiye’s role within NATO, Erdoğan said the country remains among the alliance’s top five contributors to NATO missions and operations and is increasing defense spending in line with commitments made at last week’s NATO summit in The Hague.
He urged European allies to include Türkiye in emerging European defense and security initiatives, saying the country’s defense capabilities should not be excluded for what he described as narrow political considerations.
“We need a security and defense network stretching from Texas to Ankara without reservations,” Erdoğan underlined.
He added that the NATO Defense Industry Forum, to be held alongside next week’s summit in Ankara, would showcase Türkiye’s rapidly expanding defense industry while exploring ways to deepen defense cooperation among allies.
Pursuing global peace
Regional security issues are also expected to feature prominently during the summit, Erdoğan said, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, developments involving Iran, and the situation in the Middle East.
On the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye’s longstanding support for a two-state solution.
He said lasting peace in the Middle East would not be possible unless Israel’s occupation ended and an independent, sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, was established.
Erdoğan also welcomed the recent ceasefire between the United States and Iran, saying Türkiye would continue working with countries including Pakistan and Qatar to help transform the truce into a lasting settlement.
He warned against actions that could undermine the agreement, referring to recent attacks in Lebanon, and called on NATO parliamentarians to support efforts aimed at preserving regional stability.
On Ukraine, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue supporting diplomatic efforts to end the war.
“As an ally that can speak to both sides and has earned the trust of both parties through a fair approach, we will continue to contribute actively to peace efforts,” he said.
The NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara is expected to focus on collective defense, defense industry cooperation, regional security challenges and implementation of new allied defense spending commitments.
Türkiye on Monday strongly condemned Israel’s latest strikes in southern Syria, saying the attacks violated Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, endangered civilians and undermined efforts to restore stability, as both the Foreign Ministry and Communications Director Burhanettin Duran called on the international community to take action.
The Foreign Ministry denounced Israel’s recent attacks on the Syrian provinces of Quneitra and Daraa, describing them as a clear violation of Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as international law and the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement.
The ministry said the strikes endangered the security of civilians and their property while further worsening humanitarian conditions in the region. It warned that the attacks threatened Syria’s progress since December 2024 and jeopardized broader regional stability.
Calling on the international community to act, the ministry urged governments to fulfill their responsibilities to stop what it described as Israel’s unlawful attacks targeting Syria’s stability.
Separately, Communications Director Duran also condemned Israel’s latest attacks, saying they targeted Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and stability.
Duran said the strikes constituted a clear violation of international law and existing agreements, endangered civilian lives and sabotaged efforts to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region.
He stressed that the international community must assume responsibility and take immediate steps against what he described as Israel’s lawless actions threatening regional security.
Duran added that under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leadership, Türkiye would continue to regard the protection of Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity as a fundamental prerequisite for regional peace and security.
Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is expected to continue replacing provincial heads as the party leadership moves to end internal divisions following a court ruling that deepened the rift within the party.
The CHP administration, led by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, has so far removed 10 provincial heads and referred four of them to disciplinary boards, according to party sources. More dismissals are expected in the coming weeks, with at least 50 provincial chairs likely to be replaced by September, according to a report by Sabah newspaper.
The party has been facing growing internal tension after a court ruling on absolute nullity intensified divisions between factions loyal to Kılıçdaroğlu and those aligned with Manisa deputy Özgür Özel. Seventy-four provincial heads had reportedly sided with Özel during the process, drawing criticism from the party leadership.
Party sources said Kılıçdaroğlu does not have a prejudiced stance against any party official but added that no chairperson would allow dual authority within the organization.
The provinces expected to be affected in the next round include Sinop, Kars and Düzce. A new appointment is also expected in Bitlis, where the previous provincial administration had been removed.
Among the names reportedly facing removal are Düzce provincial head Özcan Dağıstanlı, who called Kılıçdaroğlu “Kayyumdaroğlu,” Kars provincial head Onur Uludaşdemir, who used the term “pawn” for the CHP leader, and Sinop provincial head Aykut Cem Yalçınkaya, who drew attention with a video mocking Kılıçdaroğlu.
Meanwhile, several candidates from across Türkiye have reportedly visited CHP headquarters in Ankara to seek appointment to provincial posts. Former provincial and district heads, lawmakers, mayors and local council members from cities including Mardin, Antalya, Adana and Izmir have also conveyed messages of support to Kılıçdaroğlu and his team.
The CHP has also formed a special review board for mayors whose names have been linked to corruption investigations. The board, composed of experts in law, accounting and other fields, is expected to prepare reports that could influence future disciplinary referrals concerning municipalities.
Wave of resignations
Kılıçdaroğlu repeatedly referred to the need for “renewal,” “cleansing” and a “clean congress,” saying the CHP would hold those responsible for alleged wrongdoing accountable and organize what he described as a transparent party congress.
He also drew a distinction between party members whom he said represented the CHP’s values and those he accused of damaging the party’s reputation through corruption or misconduct.
The dispute escalated further on June 10, 2026, when the CHP executive board, chaired by Kılıçdaroğlu, referred nine lawmakers associated with Özel to the party’s High Disciplinary Board with a request for permanent expulsion.
Party spokesperson Müslim Sarı said the disciplinary measures formed part of what the leadership described as a broader effort to promote “clean politics.”
The executive board later initiated similar disciplinary proceedings against Mezitli Mayor Ahmet Serkan Tuncer and Bolu Mayor Tanju Özcan, bringing the total number of senior party figures facing expulsion requests to 11.
In response, 28 members of the CHP party assembly aligned with Özel resigned from the body, further deepening the institutional crisis.
The leadership dispute also coincided with a broader wave of resignations among local politicians.
Nimet Özdemir, a lawmaker who resigned from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), formally joined the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) last Wednesday.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed Özdemir at the parliamentary group meeting of the party.
Two weeks ago, former Good Party (IP) lawmaker Ersin Beyaz joined the AK Party, soon after his resignation from the opposition party.
The AK Party has seen a stream of new transfers in the past two years. Since the 2024 elections, 15 mayors have left their parties and joined the AK Party. Most of them were formerly members of the CHP.
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