Recent Posts

NATO chief urges Turkey to stop stalling Sweden, Finland accession

Both Turkey’s president and foreign minister tell the NATO secretary-general that steps from Sweden and Finland will determine the pace of Ankara’s ratification of the Nordic accession. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged Turkey to ratify the accession of Sweden and Finland to NATO as soon as possible, saying those …

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The Real China Hands

For four years, as an increasingly belligerent China breathed down their necks, the United States’ allies in Asia quietly endured a torrent of abuse from President Donald Trump. Under President Joe Biden, they again have a winning hand in Washington. By the time he took office, Biden, a leading optimist …

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Turkey seeks to coax Russia back into Ukraine grain deal

Russian and Ukrainian monitors have reportedly suspended the inspections required by a grain-exportation deal that Moscow insists is unfairly benefitting Kyiv. Turkey is stepping up efforts to salvage a critical deal to export Ukrainian grains after Russia announced it was suspending its participation over alleged Ukrainian attacks on occupied Crimea. …

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Turkish-backed faction blocks fuel en route to Idlib

The Free Syrian Army’s Third Legion is reportedly preventing fuel from reaching Idlib, which is controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, after the recent fighting between the two parties. Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib is suffering from severe fuel shortages amid reports that Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army factions are preventing fuel …

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Iraq’s new government outlines priorities

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani faces multiple challenges and constituencies to move his agenda. The Iraqi parliament approved the new government of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Oct. 27, as the 29-page ministerial program put forth by Sudani was put to a vote and received more than 250 of 329 …

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