Eurasia

US, EU voice concern over China’s ‘unilateral’ actions at sea

The European Union and the United States have expressed strong concern over what they see as China’s “problematic and unilateral actions” in the South and East China Seas, as well as the Taiwan Strait. A joint press statement issued Thursday after the first day of the second high-level meeting of …

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Historical contract for the acquisition of 80 Rafale F4 by the United Arab Emirates

In the presence of the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and Sheikh Mohammed ben Zayed Al Nahyane, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Vice-Commander of the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, signed a historical contract with Tareq …

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Patronage marginalizes qualified Turkish diplomats

Increase of unqualified personnel and self-serving political appointees has harmed Ankara’s ability to conduct international affairs, experts say. Once considered the cream of the bureaucracy, Turkey’s foreign ministry is in decline as it becomes marginalized in policy-making and turns into an outlet for government loyalists waiting to be rewarded. This …

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Ukraine Is Part of the West

NATO and the EU Should Treat It That Way Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in November 1991, the area that extends from central Europe to Central Asia has been commonly referred to as the “post-Soviet space.” The label has always been problematic—and 30 years after its introduction, the …

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The Hidden Threat to Globalization

Why the Developing World Is Turning Against Free Trade Globalization has lost its shine in wealthy countries, particularly among low-skilled workers. From 2002 to 2018, for instance, support for free trade fell significantly in Japan, the United States, and many European countries, driven largely by rising hostility toward free trade …

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Turkey’s self-made currency crisis

Following the resignation of the finance minister and his replacement by a loyalist on Dec. 2, the Turkish lira continued its steady decline against the dollar, bringing its losses for the year to nearly 50%. The Turkish currency is once again under speculative attack, similar to previous episodes in July …

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OPEC+ faces new tests to its market balancing strategy in 2022

When President Joe Biden’s White House announced that it had successfully enlisted several major oil-consuming countries in an effort to coordinate releases from strategic petroleum reserves (SPRs) around the world, it looked like this would be the only major factor in oil markets that OPEC+ would need to consider at …

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Defection of Pro-Turkish Leader and Followers to State-controlled Areas

In the occupied al-Bab countryside, social media users reported the defection of the so-called commander of the al-Sukkaria village’s forces from the pro-Turkish Hamza Division militia. The commander was accompanied by other gunmen and some cars and their arrival in areas of army control. According to reports, gunmen from the …

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SDF Should Choose Between Moscow, Washington, and Damascus

These days, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militias have reached a three-way crossroad. The SDF could move towards Damascus, and sit at the table with the legitimate government, it could embrace Moscow and avoid breaking ties with it, or it might maintain its alliance with Washington and the U.S. occupation, …

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‘Lot of concern’ over Russian military activity near Ukraine, top U.S. general says

The United States is tracking enough indicators and warnings surrounding Russian military activity near Ukraine to trigger “a lot of concern” and Russian rhetoric appears increasingly strident, the top U.S. military officer said late on Thursday, Reuters reported. Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, declined …

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