Global Scans · Turkey · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: Uncertainties over Turkey's eventual political position abound. With EU decisions in doubt, recent crackdown on opposition parties causing concerns, and being embroiled in complex Middle East politics and fighting terrorism on its borders and internally, which way will she swing?

• [New] Turkey is positioning itself to offer a cost-accessible, high-capability loitering munition that could erode Western precision-strike advantages in contested electromagnetic environments. Drone Warfare
• [New] Turkey is positioning to export a cost-competitive, AI-coordinated loitering munition that could materially shift the accessible ceiling of precision strike capability for mid-tier military actors. Drone Warfare
• [New] Turkey has announced a new long-term strategy to address the growing water scarcity, introducing a National Water Plan covering 2026 to 2035. Smart Water Magazine
• [New] By 2030, average temperatures across Turkey are projected to rise by 1.75 °C. KURE Encyclopedia
• [New] Artificial intelligence spending across the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa is expected to grow from approximately USD 4.5 billion in 2024 to USD 14.6 billion by 2028, highlighting strong regional momentum in digital infrastructure and smart city deployment. Techtime News
• [New] Turkey is building a modular, multi-host air-launch ecosystem that could significantly complicate adversary air defence planning by enabling simultaneous strike, jamming, and deception from a single standoff platform. Drone Warfare
• [New] Iran exports a small share of its natural gas, primarily to Iraq and Turkey, meaning disruptions will also affect regional energy consumption. Critical Threats
• [New] Iraq is going to export oil from the Kirkuk field via a pipeline to the Ceyhan port in Turkey, bringing an initial 250,000 barrels per day of capacity online by avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran reported its natural-gas facilities were attacked. Morningstar, Inc.
• [New] The southeast Turkey designation remains at Level 4: Do Not Travel - a two-tier system that reflects the significant difference in risk between Istanbul and the border region. Jetpac Travel eSIM | Blog
• [New] The US State Department renews the Turkey travel advisory and updates the southeast risk area to reflect new conflict-related threats. Jetpac Travel eSIM | Blog
• [New] Thanks to recent Eurofighter orders from Italy, Germany, Spain, and Turkey, it now has visibility of EJ200 production into the 2030s. Leverage Shares
• [New] Turkey has unveiled a sweeping 10-year national water strategy that will shape how rivers flowing into the Middle East are managed, as Ankara moves to reduce domestic consumption while strengthening control over water resources that originate within its borders. Nordic Monitor
• [New] Turkey will continue to defend the rights of the oppressed and oppose global injustices with courage, just as it has done in past crises. Daily Sabah
• In countries that represent one-third of the global obesity population, which includes India, Turkey, Canada, Brazil, and China, off-patent semaglutide will become available in 2026. pharmexec
• The FCDO will phase out all funding for bilateral programmes in G20 countries - apart from a small allocation to refugee-hosting in Turkey. The Guardian
• The 40% reduction in UK aid spending, which MPs voted to back last year, will mean all aid spending being cut to all G20 countries except Turkey, and the majority now focused on conflict zones, primarily Palestine, Sudan and Ukraine. The Guardian
• EU institutions still see migration cooperation with Turkey as necessary, while many of the parts Ankara expected in return remain stalled. Turkish Minute
• There are 72 benchmarks Turkey is expected to meet for visa liberalization. Atlas Think Center
• If measures are not taken today, Turkey's economy could face a major collapse within three to five years. Atlas Think Center
• Combined with the global economic slowdown already anticipated by forecasters, a sharp contraction in Turkish exports appears unavoidable. Atlas Think Center
• If Iran breaks apart into a completely failed state, resulting in chaos, mass migration, and ethnic civil wars, it will severely disrupt the emerging geopolitical alignment between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, with the probability of other regional powers' involvement. Atlas Institute for International Affairs

Last updated: 30 March 2026