For almost 100 years, the security of energy supply has been a crucial part of the agenda in most countries. To increase supply security, countries must diversify their energy sources, supply routes and suppliers as well. As a country highly dependent on imported energy resources, Türkiye has been cautiously trying to take these critical steps for nearly 20 years.

On Jan. 21, 2025, United States President Donald Trump announced an unprecedented wave of investments in artificial intelligence (AI), marking a historic milestone in U.S. technological advancement. Trump declared a record-breaking $500 billion commitment to a coalition of AI companies, labeling the initiative “Stargate” and proclaiming that the U.S. was entering a new “golden age” during his second term. The announcement, titled “Stargate,” echoed the symbolism of past grandiose projects, such as President Ronald Reagan’s “Strategic Defense Initiative” (SDI), famously known as “Star Wars,” which aimed to challenge the Soviet Union during the Cold War era.

Donald Trump has made a fast start to his second term as the president of the U.S., the strongest state in the world. Naturally, not only Americans but also the world's states and nations immediately reacted to this government change. One day after the inauguration of Trump, the leaders of the two rival countries, namely Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, held a virtual meeting.

One of President Trump’s first actions in office was to pardon everyone involved in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots. In doing so, Trump contradicted Vice President J.D. Vance, who just last week stated that those who used violence against law enforcement should not be pardoned. This move highlights Trump’s continued unpredictable leadership style. While the pardon signals loyalty to his supporters, it also undermines his political platform’s emphasis on “law and order” by absolving individuals who attacked police officers. Unlike his first term, Trump now wields significantly more political capital, meaning this decision is unlikely to harm him substantially. However, it appears he is willing to spend that capital early, signaling that his allegiance to “Trumpism” outweighs broader principles like law and order.

Donald Trump has achieved a feat seen only once before in U.S. political history, becoming the second president to win two non-consecutive terms since the late 19th century.

A three-phase cease-fire was reached between Hamas and Israel last weekend, brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States. The first phase began last Sunday when Israel released 90 Palestinians from prison in response to Hamas’ release of three Israelis. The Israeli forces ceased their genocidal attacks on the Gaza Strip and the Gazan people breathed a sigh of relief, at least temporarily. Israel promised to allow the entrance of 600 aid trucks daily and to reopen Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt on the seventh day of the agreement and at the last phase, to withdraw its forces from Gaza.

The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the U.S. took place on Jan. 20, 2025. He said during his election campaigns, "There will be no war from Day 1 when I come to the office." It is too early to tell if he can achieve its objectives and commitments to ending wars in Europe and the Middle East, but it is obvious that Trump is more powerful than he was in his first term. He took the majority of both the House and Senate and will be in full control of the United States government for the next two years.

Türkiye enters 2025 in an increasingly competitive and uncertain global political environment. The international system is characterized by intensifying great power rivalry, particularly between the U.S. and China, a protracted war in Ukraine and deepening instability in the Middle East. Against this backdrop, Türkiye is pursuing a pragmatic and interest-based foreign policy prioritizing security, economic resilience and strategic autonomy.