- 5d ago
Turkey marks decade since failed 2016 coup as Erdogan demands extraditions and launches fresh wave of arrests
A new 'major cleansing campaign' saw 968 people detained across all 81 Turkish provinces this week, while President Erdogan called on NATO allies to extradite alleged plotters.
- Jul 13
EU appoints Raffaele Fitto as Special Representative for Cyprus to support UN reunification talks
The European Commission appointed Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto as its special representative for Cyprus on Monday, tasking him with supporting UN-led reunification efforts alongside envoy María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar.
- Jul 12
Threats then 'love': Trump's capricious NATO summit in Ankara yields $160bn in new pledges
The US president berated alliance partners over Iran and defence spending, then spoke of 'love' and praised Zelenskyy just hours later, as NATO allies announced $160bn in fresh defence, energy and Ukraine commitments.
- Jul 12
Greece's Gerapetritis calls Turkish casus belli 'huge burden', says Athens not a spectator after NATO summit
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, in an ERT interview on 12 July, called Turkey's casus belli a 'huge burden' and incompatible with its international security role, while defending Greece's arms programs and dialogue with Ankara after the NATO summit.
- Jul 10
Turkey seeks to sell Russian S-400s to Gulf state, opening door for F-35 return and sanctions relief
A potential transfer of Turkey's Russian S-400 air defence systems to a Gulf country could unlock Ankara's path back to the F-35 programme and the lifting of CAATSA penalties, officials and media reports suggest.
- Jul 9
Trump threatens Spain trade halt, renews Greenland claim at NATO summit before praising 'great time'
The US president arrived in Ankara furious over Iran war support, threatened to cut trade with Spain and revive a bid for Greenland, then declared the summit 'extraordinarily successful'.
- Jul 9
Trump confuses Iran with 'Islamic Republic of Japan', calls Zelensky 'Putin' at NATO summit
During a press conference at the NATO summit in Ankara, Donald Trump referred to Iran as the 'Islamic Republic of Japan' and addressed Volodymyr Zelensky as 'President Putin', among other verbal missteps.
- Jul 9
Czech president and PM clash at NATO summit, allies warn of reputational damage over low defence spending
President Petr Pavel and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš attended the NATO summit in Ankara in separate delegations, sat far apart at the group photo, and gave contrasting accounts of the informal dinner, drawing allied concern over Czech reliability.
- Jul 9
Erdogan gifts NATO leaders personalized revolvers with ammunition, sparking diplomatic confusion
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave each NATO leader a personalized revolver and ammunition at the Ankara summit, forcing governments across Europe to navigate customs, police, and legal hurdles to handle the unusual diplomatic gift.
- Jul 8
Trump surprises NATO summit with praise for allies, declares 'great unity' after earlier criticism
After arriving in Ankara in a foul mood, President Trump ended the NATO summit with unexpected praise for allies' defense spending progress and a declaration of 'great unity'.
- Jul 8
Nawrocki after Ankara NATO summit: Alliance united, path to permanent US bases in Poland open
President Karol Nawrocki declared the NATO summit in Ankara a success, saying the alliance is united and the political path to a permanent US military presence in Poland is now open.
- Jul 8
Hegseth cancels Israel trip as Netanyahu opposes Trump's F-35 sale to Turkey
The US defense secretary was set to reassure Israel over a potential F-35 deal with Turkey, but the visit was called off hours after Trump pledged to lift sanctions and sell the jets.
- Jul 8
Greek pilots to train on F-35s in 2027, Mitsotakis says after NATO summit
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis outlined the timeline for Greece's F-35 acquisition after the NATO summit in Ankara, confirming pilot training will begin in 2027 and that the aircraft are already in production.
- Jul 8
Romania's Nicușor Dan pushes NATO for Black Sea defences and joins new defence bank at Ankara summit
President Nicușor Dan of Romania used the second day of the NATO summit in Ankara to call for stronger air and maritime defence on the eastern flank, while Romania became a founding member of a new alliance defence bank.
- Jul 8
Trump threatens to cut Spain ties at NATO summit, then reverses after defence deals and 'important payment'
At the Ankara summit, the US President insulted Spain and ordered a trade cutoff, only to hail its 'generosity' hours later after defence contracts worth billions were signed.
- Jul 8
Trump renews Greenland takeover demand at NATO summit; Danish PM says island 'not for sale'
President Trump reiterated his desire for US control of Greenland during the NATO summit in Ankara, prompting a sharp rebuke from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who declared the autonomous territory 'not for sale'.
- Jul 8
Denmark rebuffs Trump's Greenland takeover talk, buys Boeing patrol planes to assert Arctic sovereignty
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reaffirmed that Greenland is not for sale after President Trump told the NATO summit in Ankara that the territory should be under US control.
- Jul 8
Trump promises to lift CAATSA sanctions on Turkey, but F-35 sale remains uncertain as Congress pushes back
At the NATO summit in Ankara, Donald Trump told Recep Tayyip Erdogan he would lift CAATSA sanctions, calling Turkey a loyal ally, but stopped short of a concrete F-35 commitment. Hours later, 18 Democratic lawmakers urged House leaders to block any pro-Turkey move.
- Jul 6
NATO's Rutte says European allies and Canada now spend nearly 4% of GDP on defence ahead of Ankara summit
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that European members and Canada have raised defence spending to almost 4% of GDP, with an additional $258 billion in investments expected for 2025–2026, as leaders prepare to meet in Ankara.
- Jul 6
Trump and EU leaders head to Ankara for NATO summit as Turkey pushes for F-35 engines and defence role
The 36th NATO summit opens in Ankara on 7–8 July, with Donald Trump making the first US presidential visit to Turkey in 17 years and EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa holding separate talks with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
