Background: The Turkey-PKK peace process, initiated after Öcalan's call to disarm in February 2025, reached its one-year milestone in July 2025, with a conference in Diyarbakir assessing progress and calls for a legal framework. Today: Kurdish civil society actors express deep skepticism about the new peace process, fearing that their democratic demands are being sidelined in favor of a security-focused approach. The continued imprisonment of Abdullah Öcalan and Selahattin Demirtaş fuels doubts about the sincerity of the transition, as exemplified by a retired Kurdish teacher from Bingöl, now in Istanbul, who voiced frustration that the process offers 'neither amnesty nor democracy,' and highlighted the lack of progress on political freedoms despite the disarmament milestone.

Background: NATO's air readiness is at historic highs, with successful interceptions of Iranian missiles and fortified eastern flank. Today, NATO stated it is prepared for any threat after reports that Iran assessed potential strikes on US military assets in Bulgaria and Cyprus. The statement comes amid stalled Hormuz negotiations and dimmed US-Iran talks, with President Trump denying any ongoing dialogue. NATO has publicly stated it is prepared to address any threat, following reports that Iranian forces assessed potential strikes on US military assets in southeastern Europe, including Bulgaria and Cyprus. The statement highlighted NATO's successful interception of ballistic missiles heading to Türkiye from Iran on four occasions earlier this year. The reports emerge amid stalled negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and dimmed prospects for US-Iran talks, with President Trump stating there are no talks or conversations scheduled with Tehran.

Background: Turkey proposed a draft maritime jurisdiction law under the 'Blue Homeland' doctrine, codifying exclusive economic zones and granting presidential authority, reigniting the long-standing Aegean maritime dispute with Greece. Today: Turkey officially established two marine parks via presidential decrees published in the Official Gazette on August 16, covering 21,700 km² near Fethiye and Kaş in the Mediterranean and 742 km² in the northern Aegean near the Dardanelles. The parks were initially mapped on August 2, 2025, and now gain legal status. Greece's foreign ministry formally protested on August 16, asserting they extend beyond Turkey's maritime jurisdiction and violate international law. Greek media allege the Mediterranean park aims to sever the connection between the island of Meis and the Greek mainland, creating an unreasonable maritime zone. The move follows Greece's own marine park declarations in July and comes amid broader tensions over maritime boundaries, the 'Blue Homeland' law, and a Greece-Cyprus undersea power cable project. Additionally, French company Meridiam joined the consortium for the Greece-Cyprus undersea power cable project, which Turkey had stalled; Athens is expected to issue NAVTEX for cable laying in the autumn. Greek opposition parties have called for withdrawing Patriot systems from Saudi Arabia over the Turkey-Pakistan-Saudi defense pact signed August 7.

The OECD's 2026 follow-up report on Turkey found that Ankara has failed to implement most recommendations on foreign bribery enforcement, with no convictions since joining the Anti-Bribery Convention in 2000. The report comes as US prosecutors pursue a case alleging Aksa Enerji, a Turkish energy company linked to President Erdogan's circle, paid bribes to Ghanaian officials for a power plant contract. The OECD noted Turkey has not investigated most known allegations and lacks effective whistleblower protection and prosecutorial mechanisms.

Background: Turkey's unemployment rate had fallen to 7.6% in June 2026, the lowest monthly level since records began. Today, official data for Q2 2026 shows the quarterly unemployment rate dropped to 7.9%, the lowest since the series started in 2005, with employment rising by 155,000 and youth unemployment at a record low of 13.9%. In Q2 2026, Turkey's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 7.9%, the lowest quarterly level since the data series began in 2005, down 0.3 percentage points from the previous quarter. The number of unemployed decreased by 84,000 to 2.78 million, while employment rose by 155,000 to 32.48 million. Youth unemployment fell to 13.9%, also a record low. The employment rate rose to 48.5%, and the labor force grew by 71,000 to 35.28 million. The broader labor underutilization rate declined to 29.9%. Government officials attributed the improvement to their economic policies.

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar visited Damascus and signed a memorandum of understanding on phosphate with Syrian Energy Minister Mohamed al-Bashir. Turkey expressed readiness to conduct oil and gas exploration in Syria, both onshore and offshore, through state company TPAO and private firms. The two sides are also working on electricity transmission, with the Birecik-Aleppo line expected to nearly triple Turkey's electricity exports to Syria to around 900 MW. The agreements aim to support Syria's reconstruction and expand bilateral energy and mining ties.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli rejected Greece's new 'Special Spatial Framework for Renewable Energy Sources' in the Aegean Sea, asserting that unilateral initiatives cannot alter Turkey's legal position on Aegean disputes. Turkey emphasized readiness to cooperate with Greece and resolve disputes through international law, referencing the 2023 Athens Declaration.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, speaking at a B'Yachad party conference, called for Qatar and Turkey to be excluded from any future role in managing Gaza, arguing their involvement would strengthen Hamas. He advocated for Egypt to be involved alongside Israel instead, claiming this approach would lead to the elimination of Hamas.