Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Zelensky Fumes as NATO Mulls Non-Member Deal for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appears to be unhappy with reports that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit currently underway in Vilnius, Lithuania will culminate with an offer of increased support for Ukraine against the Russian invasion, but not an offer of full membership in NATO.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Fener Greek Patriarch Bartholomeos (not seen) pose for a photo as they speak to press after attending the mass led by the Patriarch at the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, in Istanbul, Turkiye on July 08, 2023. (Photo by Berk Ozkan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Turkish Opposition Documents Thousands of Ballot Box Irregularities in Presidential Election

Turkey’s main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), on Wednesday filed complaints about thousands of alleged irregularities at ballot boxes in Sunday’s election, when incumbent authoritarian President Recep Tayyip Erdogan dramatically outperformed his poll numbers and came within half a point of winning an immediate victory over favored challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

General view at CHP provincial headquarters on May 15, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkey voted at the ballot box to elect its 13th President and 28th Term parliament, who will serve for five years. (Photo by Hakan Akgun / dia images via Getty Images)

Three Voters Die of Heart Attacks During Turkish Election

Turkey’s tense presidential election, which will conclude with a runoff between incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu, saw three elderly voters in three different cities tragically die of heart attacks on Sunday.

Supporters of Turkish CHP party leader and Nation Alliance's presidential candidate Kemal Kilicdaroglu wave Turkish flags during an election campaign rally in Ankara, Turkey, Friday, May 12, 2023. Turkey is heading toward presidential and parliamentary elections on Sunday. (AP Photo/Ali Unal)

Turkey: Third-Party Presidential Candidate Drops out Claiming He Was Photoshopped into Israeli Porn

Challengers to Islamist Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan denounced a series of dirty tricks during this year’s presidential race in the last week before Sunday’s election, including Erdoğan airing a video falsely linking top opponent Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu to terrorists and a third-party candidate claiming doctored images have surfaced featuring him in Israeli pornography.

ISTANBUL, TURKIYE - APRIL 30: Chairman of Homeland (Memleket) Party and presidential candidate, Muharrem Ince makes a speech as part of an election campaign ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections in Umraniye district of Istanbul, Turkiye on April 30, 2023. (Photo by Arife Karakum/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Bashar Assad Tells Moscow He Wants More Russian Bases in Syria

Syrian dictator Bashar Assad during a visit to Moscow this week wholeheartedly supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, offering his government’s official recognition of the phony “independent republics” Russia carved out of eastern Ukraine, and said he would like more Russian forces stationed permanently in Syria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, listens to Syrian President Bashar Assad during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (Vladimir Gerdo, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)