Hulusi Akar

The death of the mother of Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos opened a new channel of communication between Türkiye and Greece amid escalating tensions between the two countries.

Turkey's AK Party spokesman Omer Celik said Monday that the government is mulling bringing elections "slightly" forward (the country's parliamentary and presidential elections are scheduled to be held on June 18), a decision which could have implications for Greece.

Türkiye and Russia will resume joint patrols in northern Syria in line with a recent deal between the two countries, the Turkish defense minister has said, expressing Ankara's intention to continue a process started by Ankara, Moscow and Damascus for resolving terror and migration problems.

Keeping tensions high with Athens, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar reiterated on Monday that Ankara will "not accept any extension" by Greece of its islands' territorial waters.

Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Monday accused Greece of undermining talks on confidence-building measures (CBM) between the two Aegean rivals, adding that his country wants to defuse tensions through dialogue.

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Jan. 2 accused Greece of trying to increase tension in the Aegean with provocative actions and rhetoric due to domestic political considerations.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has said that his visit to Ankara and talks with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar have opened the doors for cooperation between Türkiye and Israel, as he was about to depart from Türkiye.

Ties in the field of defense and security between Türkiye and Israel have entered a new era as the latter's defense minister paid a rare visit to Ankara amid ongoing normalization efforts between the two Mediterranean states after years of tension.

Police have detained Şebnem Korur Fincancı, the head of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), after she called for an investigation into allegations that the Turkish military used chemical weapons in northern Iraq.

Libya's Tripoli-based prime minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah signed two deals with Türkiye's defense minister on Oct. 25, building on a 2019 agreement.