Russia-Ukraine crisis

Iranians drive next to a billboard displaying pictures of nuclear scientists, centrifuges and a sentence reading in Farsi, "Science is the power," at the Enqelab Square in Tehran, on Aug. 29, 2025.

Iran rial hits record low 1.13M to dollar as UN snapback sanctions resume: What to know

The sanctions, which were trigged by the three European signatories to the nuclear deal, will not hinder Iranian oil exports to China, an official said.

US President Donald Trump (L) greets Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) upon his arrival at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 25, 2025.

From F-35s to Ukraine: Erdogan-Trump talks signal reset, but sanctions obstacles remain

The summit underscored both leaders’ personal chemistry while highlighting the limits of what the partnership can deliver.

A soldier of a UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) platoon of the U.S. Army 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, readies a Anduril Ghost-X helicopter surveillance drone for take-off during the Combined Resolve 25-1 military exercises at the Hohenfels Training Area in Bavaria on Feb. 3, 2025 near Hohenfels, Germany.

CENTCOM launches task force to drive Pentagon’s drone race

New unit aims to put "combat-credible" drone systems into the hands of US troops in the Middle East within 60 days, part of an ambitious new push by the Pentagon to leapfrog advances made by Washington's adversaries in fielding cheaply made but lethal armed drones.

DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images

As EU tries to wean off Russian gas, pipeline imports via Turkey rise

The European Union is importing more Russian gas via Turkey despite efforts to end imports from Russia.

Latest News

Russia, Iran in talks on construction of small nuclear plants: What to know

OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

As Trump plays Russia oil sanctions gambit, will Middle East profit or pay?

Oil tankers and cranes at Merchants Harbor, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

UAE looks to boost Russia trade to $23B despite Trump tariff threats

GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/AFP via Getty Images

United Arab Emirates

UAE president heads to Russia to meet Putin as ties grow: What to know

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan (L) at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on October 20, 2024. (Photo by Artem Geodakyan / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ARTEM GEODAKYAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

United Arab Emirates

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

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.

Ships, including those carrying grain from Ukraine and awaiting inspections, are seen anchored off the Istanbul coastline on Oct. 14, 2022, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey calls on Russia to reconsider Ukraine ‘grain deal’ suspension

The Russian personnel stationed at a coordination center set up for the Ukraine grain deal in Istanbul have yet to leave their posts, Turkey says, calling on Moscow to resume the deal.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds a press conference at the NATO Summit on June 30, 2022, in Madrid, Spain.

Turkey blasts Sweden ahead of NATO chief's visit to appease Erdogan

Sweden's steps to gain Erdogan's approval appear not to have "cut the ice" thus far.

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Military assistance to Ukraine becomes Israeli electoral issue

Human rights activist and former Israeli minister Nathan Sharansky met last week in Kyiv with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and apologized for being the first Israeli official to come.

Police experts inspect a crater caused by a shell explosion following a Russian airstrike outside the National University of Urban Economy, Kharkiv, Ukraine, July 23, 2022.

Thousands of Egyptian students in Ukraine, Russia stuck in limbo amid war

The Egyptian government held a virtual meeting to address students’ challenges as those in Ukraine cope with the ongoing war and others in Russia are unable to pay tuition due to sanctions.

Burak Kara/Getty Images

Orthodox schism shakes Turkish Riviera

A major rift in Orthodox Christianity compounded by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has driven a wedge into a growing Orthodox community on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.

Tunisian students evacuated from Ukraine pose with the Ukrainian flag upon their arrival at the Tunis-Carthage airport on March 1, 2022.

Culture

Tunisian students who fled Ukraine face the unknown

Tunisian students who attended universities in Ukraine before fleeing the Russian war are currently in limbo as state universities refuse to enroll them while authorities are scrambling to resolve their situation.

Abdul Hakim al-Shishani, commander of the Ajnad al-Kavkaz group (circled in red) with a Chechen fighting unit, Oct. 15, 2022.

Chechen fighters leave Syria to battle Russians in Ukraine

Abdul Hakim al-Shishani, a veteran of the Chechen-Russian war in the 1990s and commander of the Ajnad al-Kavkaz group fighting Syrian government forces in Latakia, arrived in Ukraine with a group of Chechen fighters to battle Russian forces.

Ukraine drone

Breaking | Last Updated: October 21, 2022, 9:47 am

Iran 'directly engaged' in Russia’s war in Ukraine, White House says

The Pentagon is actively consulting with allies to provide air defense systems to Ukraine to defend against Russia’s bombardments using Iranian drones.

Russia / Mideast

A picture taken on March 12, 2019, at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes shows a scale model of the city of Dubai.

Russian, British citizens top buyers of nonresidential property in Dubai

The war in Ukraine is driving more Russians to buy property in Dubai’s flourishing real estate market.

United Arab Emirates

Kyiv

Ukraine pressures Israel to supply weapons, cites Iranian threat

With reports of Iran supplying Russia with attack drones, Israel is finding it increasingly difficult to reject Ukraine’s pleas for defensive weaponry.

The AgrIsrael Sea the Future Conference, Eilat, Oct. 19, 2022.

Israel pushes aquaculture cooperation in answer to global food security

Israel’s Agriculture Minister Oded Forer talks with Al-Monitor about the first-ever international summit on food grown in the sea and the desert, held this week in Eilat.