Jonathan Spicer

Russia's NATO flyovers recall Turkey's deadly but risky decision 10 years ago A rash of Russian violations of NATO airspace last month has prompted some allies to recall Turkey's swift and deadly response a decade ago, when it shot down a Russian fighter jet that had crossed over its southern border.

Moscow's NATO flyovers recall Turkey's deadly but risky decision 10 years ago, when it sent a flaming Russian jet careening into a wooded ridge near its border www.reuters.com/business/aer... w/ @tuvangumrukcu.bsky.social

At White House, Erdogan to seek deal with Trump on F-35s U.S. President Donald Trump will host President Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on Thursday, where the Turkish leader hopes to leverage the countries' warmest bilateral ties in years to convince Washington to drop U.S. sanctions and allow it to purchase F-35 fighter jets.

At White House, Erdogan hopes to leverage warmest U.S.-Turkish ties in years to convince Trump to drop sanctions and allow F-35 sales www.reuters.com/business/aer...

How Israel’s West Bank strategy aims to bury Palestinian statehood As several of Israel's Western allies recognise a Palestinian state, Israel has accelerated plans for settlements that it hopes will make the two-state solution impossible.

How Israel’s West Bank strategy aims to bury Palestinian statehood - www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Turkey says it is ending additional tariffs on some US imports Turkey has terminated additional tariffs imposed in 2018 on U.S. imports ranging from passenger cars to fruits, the country's Official Gazette said on Monday, as President Tayyip Erdogan visited the United States.

Setting the table for Trump and Erdogan's White House meeting this Thursday: Turkey says it is ending tariffs on some U.S. imports www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Scoop: U.S. diplomats on Syria abruptly let go amid pro-Damascus policy push, sources say www.reuters.com/world/us/us-...

Turkish court could oust opposition leader in deepening political crisis A Turkish court will decide on Monday whether to oust the head of the main opposition, in what some see as a test of the country's shaky balance between democracy and autocracy after a nearly year-long legal crackdown on the party.

Turkish court could oust #CHP opposition leader Özgur Özel, in what some see as a test of country's shaky balance between democracy and autocracy www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Turkey's opposition MPs pile tables and chairs to block police besieging its headquarters in Istanbul www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Syria is secretly reshaping its economy. The president’s brother is in charge. A shadow committee is remaking Syria's economy with secret takeovers of Assad-era companies. A Reuters investigation has found the new president's brother, Hazem al-Sharaa, along with a sanctioned Australian are in charge of untangling corruption. But to do so, they're making deals with businessmen many Syrians associate with years of ill-gotten gains.

Syria is secretly reshaping its economy. The president’s brother is in charge. - www.reuters.com/investigatio...

Israeli strike kills hungry Gaza family in their sleep The Al-Shaer family went to bed hungry at their home in Gaza City. An Israeli airstrike killed them in their sleep.

The Al-Shaer family went to bed hungry at their home in Gaza City. An Israeli airstrike killed them in their sleep www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Exclusive: Syria believed it had green light from US, Israel to deploy troops to Sweida Syria's government misread how Israel would respond to its troops deploying to the country's south this week, encouraged by U.S. messaging that Syria should be governed as a centralized state, eight sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Scoop: Syria believed it had green light from US, Israel to deploy troops to Sweida - www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Turkey detains hundreds of Erdogan opponents in pursuit of 'octopus' of corruption Tayyip Erdogan's main political opponents have faced an unprecedented crackdown that has seen more than 500 detained in just nine months, according to a Reuters review of a sprawling investigation that has accelerated dramatically in recent days.

Turkey has detained 500 of Erdogan's opponents - jailing more than 200 of them, including 14 mayors - in unprecedented pursuit of "octopus" of corruption www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Turkey says PKK disarmament could start within days, says AK Party spokesman The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) could start handing over its weapons within days, a spokesman for Turkey's ruling AK Party said on Tuesday, the clearest sign yet that efforts to secure the outlawed group's disarmament may be nearing a breakthrough.

PKK disarmament could come soon, with small group of fighters symbolically handing over weapons in Sulaimaniya in "coming days" www.reuters.com/business/med...

Turkey to press allies for access to EU defence funds Turkey will press European allies which plan to sharply ramp up their defence spending to ease restrictions that now require most of that money to be spent in the EU, Defence Minister Yasar Guler told Reuters on Wednesday ahead of a NATO meeting.

Scoop: Turkey to press for access to EU defence funds: @NATO allies "need to spend not only more, but also smarter – and there is a need for more cooperation than ever before," defence minister tells @tuvangumrukcu.bsky.social www.reuters.com/business/aer...

Exclusive: Turkey backing Syria's military and has no immediate withdrawal plans, defence minister says Turkey is training and advising Syria's armed forces and helping improve its defences, Defence Minister Yasar Guler told Reuters.

Scoop: Turkey training and advising Syria's military, has no immediate withdrawal plans, and continues de-confliction talks with Israel, defence minister Güler tells
@tuvangumrukcu.bsky.social www.reuters.com/world/middle...

US to appoint Thomas Barrack as special envoy for Syria, sources say The United States will appoint President Donald Trump's longtime friend and current U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Thomas Barrack, as a special envoy for Syria, a person with direct knowledge of the matter and a diplomat in Turkey said.

U.S. to appoint Thomas Barrack, the new ambassador to Turkey, as special envoy for Syria, sources say www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Trump's Gulf tour reshapes Middle East diplomatic map Donald Trump's Middle East tour had a clear message for Benjamin Netanyahu: In Trump's vision of Middle East diplomacy, the Israeli prime minister could no longer count on unconditional US support for his right-wing agenda.

Trump's Gulf tour marks emergence of a new Sunni-led Middle East order - one that eclipses Iran's shattered 'axis of resistance', and leaves Israel sidelined www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Erdogan's global peacemaker spotlight hides tumult within Turkey Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan has probably never held more global sway: he will host the first direct Russia-Ukraine peace talks in three years on Thursday, days after his country's militant nemesis, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), dissolved.

Erdogan, preparing to host Russia-Ukraine talks, has probably never held more diplomatic sway. But his global peacemaker spotlight hides tumult within Turkey www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Exclusive: Turkey wants no confrontation with Israel in Syria, foreign minister says Turkey wants no confrontation with Israel in Syria after repeated Israeli attacks on military sites there undermined the new government's ability to deter threats, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Reuters on Friday.

Scoop: Foreign minister Fidan says Turkey wants no confrontation with Israel in Syria.
@reuters.com exclusive here: reuters.com/world/middle... Full interview here: reuters.com/world/middle...

Turks vow to protest on even as Erdogan says 'show' will end Many Turkish anti-government protesters said they were bracing for a long-term standoff after six nights of action and scattered clashes with police over the jailing of Istanbul's mayor, rejecting President Tayyip Erdogan's claim their "show" will fizzle out.

Turks protesting under a towering Roman aqueduct in Istanbul brace for a long-term standoff over mayor's jailing - even as Erdogan says their 'show' will end www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Six year legal fight: how Istanbul's mayor became Erdogan's prime target reuters.com/world/middle...

Turkey jails Istanbul mayor before his trial, inflaming country's biggest protests in more than a decade reuters.com/world/middle...

Turkey warns against growing street protests over detained mayor Turkey's government warned on Friday against "illegal" calls from the main opposition for street protests over the detention of Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, after thousands demonstrated across the country in the last two days.

Turkey warns against "illegal" calls to protest the detention of Istanbul mayor, after some of the biggest shows of civil disobedience in more than a decade - and before a high-stakes court decision this weekend www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Istanbul mayor's arrest throws Turkey's Kurdish peace bid into doubt The detention of Istanbul's popular mayor risks undermining Turkey's move to end the PKK militant group's 40-year-old insurgency - a plan relying heavily on the government's nascent, delicate cooperation with the pro-Kurdish DEM Party.

Controversial arrest of Istanbul mayor casts doubt on Turkey's PKK peace plan, which relies heavily on government's delicate cooperation with pro-Kurdish DEM party www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Barring Istanbul mayor from presidential bid would only boost opposition, party leader says Turkey's main opposition leader said on Thursday any move to legally bar Istanbul's detained mayor from running for president would only strengthen support for their party, and that any candidate would beat President Tayyip Erdogan in elections.

Scoop: Barring Istanbul mayor İmamoğlu from presidential bid would only boost opposition, CHP party chair Özel tells @reuters.com www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Turkish authorities order detention of Istanbul mayor, some 100 others Turkish authorities ordered the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and about 100 others, including journalists and businessman, as part of a corruption investigation, the Sabah news website said on Wednesday.

Turkey detains Istanbul mayor Imamoglu, Erdogan's chief rival, in what opposition calls a 'coup' that caps months-long legal crackdown on opposition figures - and that sends the currency plunging www.reuters.com/world/middle...

US nudged Kurds towards Damascus deal as troop presence comes into focus The United States encouraged its Syrian Kurdish allies to reach Monday's landmark deal with the Islamist-led government in Damascus, six sources said, an agreement that could stave off further conflict in northern Syria at a time of uncertainty over the future of U.S. forces deployed there.

Scoop: U.S. encouraged Syrian Kurdish allies to reach landmark deal with government in Damascus, six sources said, possibly staving off further conflict in northern Syria at a time of uncertainty over the future of U.S. forces deployed there www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Turkey could be a vital partner as Europe, Ukraine seek new security framework Turkey has emerged as a key potential partner in restructuring European security, diplomats and analysts say, as Europe scrambles to bolster its defence and find guarantees for Ukraine under any forthcoming ceasefire deal urged by the United States.

Turkey, NATO's #2 army, emerging as vital partner as Europe and Ukraine seek security guarantees under any ceasefire deal urged by the U.S. www.reuters.com/world/europe... by @tuvangumrukcu.bsky.social

Turkish party leader says his arrest is part of a crackdown on Erdogan's political opponents The leader of a Turkish nationalist party has said he was arrested and detained on political grounds as part of an opposition crackdown that contradicts the government's purported effort to boost democracy while ending a Kurdish militant insurgency.

Jailed leader of Turkish nationalist party with 6% nationwide support, in hand-written letter to @reuters.com: "Democracy cannot be established with illegal arrests and silencing.." www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Ocalan's call for peace in Turkey: what's in it for key actors? Turkey's 40-year battle against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) could be nearing an end after its jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan, called on the militant group on Thursday to lay down its arms and disband.

Ocalan's call for peace in Turkey: what's in it for key actors? www.reuters.com/world/middle...

Hope turns to regret among Syrians returning home from Turkey Ahmed al-Sheikh's excitement at returning to his homeland from neighbouring Turkey after the fall of Bashar al-Assad has turned to bitter disappointment at the grim living conditions in Syria after some 13 years of war.

Hope turns to regret among Syrians returning home from Turkey: "I started thinking about returning because my life was stable there... But I can't go back" www.reuters.com/world/middle...