Turkey’s Fidan heads to Moscow as S-400 sanctions issue returns to fore The visit comes weeks before Turkey hosts NATO leaders, on the sidelines of which Ankara hopes to reach a deal with Washington over CAATSA sanctions over its purchase of Russian S-400s. Turkey
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran says US strikes render April ceasefire ‘meaningless’ Fresh US strikes and Iranian retaliation deepen regional tensions, while Washington tightens sanctions, France pushes for a larger role in Lebanon, and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Russia in talks on 'reformatting' its military sites in Syria: What to know Moscow signals it wants to maintain its presence in Syria, where President Ahmed al-Sharaa recently said that Russian bases will be converted into training centers. Syria
Interview Armenia candidate Tatoyan eyes Pashinyan's pro-West mantle in sea of Russia-backed rivals In an interview from Yerevan, Armenian opposition candidate Arman Tatoyan denies pro-Russian ties and says he would deepen cooperation with the European Union and the United States while pursuing a gradual approach to relations with Moscow. Arman Tatoyan Founder, Wings of Unity Party
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Oil eases as Trump pauses Iran strikes By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Are Egyptian-Saudi disputes just a passing crisis or a decisive storm? Egyptian-Saudi squabbles over Syria and Yemen have gone viral, and some worry that this will have a lasting negative effect on the relationship between Cairo and Riyadh. Saudi Arabia
Did Putin give green light to Turkish attack on US-backed Syrian Kurds? Kurds again in crosshairs as Turkey weighs options in Mosul. Iraq
Russia's Mideast role hot topic in final Clinton-Trump debate The release of Democratic emails to WikiLeaks may have been less about helping a Republican candidate Russians see as unpredictable and more about fending off US interference in Russia's 2018 presidential election. Syria
What Turkish raid on Syrian Kurds means for Ankara-Washington ties Turkey's decision to launch airstrikes on fighters for the Kurdish People's Protection Units in Syria could have a major impact on Washington's efforts to balance relations with Ankara. Syria
US, Europe mull sanctions on Russia over Aleppo The United States and Europe are considering additional economic sanctions on Russia over its role in the Syrian regime's assault on Aleppo. Syria
Is Turkey ditching Saudi Arabia for Iran? The recent string of high-level meetings between Iranian and Turkish officials suggests that the two regional powerhouses may be moving closer on Syria. Saudi Arabia
What US-Russia fallout means for Syria A collapsing US-Russia relationship could have profound consequences for Syria’s civil war and the Middle East. Syria
UN Syria envoy: Jabhat al-Nusra holding Aleppo ‘hostage’ De Mistura calls on Jabhat al-Nusra, Russia and Syria to end fighting in Aleppo; why is Erdogan mostly mum on Aleppo? Syria
Is Russia pulling Turkey away from the West? Western powers must balance Russian overtures to Turkey by reaching out to Ankara on its key concerns and being cautious with their criticism. Turkey
What's behind Ankara’s 'deafening silence' on Aleppo? Reconciliation with Russia is preventing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from blasting away at Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as he once did. Syria
US gives up on working with Russia on Syria The United States announced Oct. 3 it was suspending bilateral engagement with Russia on Syria, saying there was nothing more to talk about as Russia intensified its air attacks on Aleppo. Syria
Why did Egypt really back down on Russian wheat import ban? While Cairo claims its decision to allow trace amounts of ergot fungus in wheat imports complies with earlier regulations, some in Egypt are questioning the motives. Egypt
