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
Amnesty: Syria, Russia responsible for war crimes in Idlib Between May 2019 and February 2020, the UK-based rights group recorded 18 attacks on hospitals and schools carried out by Russian and Syrian forces. Syria
Netanyahu needs Trump on Syria, Iran, but he needs Putin, too On the anniversary of the end of World War 2 and less than a week before the visit in Israel of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Israel
Facebook says it closed accounts, pages with links to Iranian government Facebook said that it shut down hundreds of accounts and pages promoting Iranian propaganda in its monthly report. Russia
Iran seems to reconsider military entrenchment in Syria According to Israeli assessments, Iran has begun giving up on its tremendous military investment in Syria. Israel
Was Trump’s call about oil with Saudi leader the start of a reset in relations? US-Saudi partnership faces both old and new challenges in post-COVID-19 Middle East. Saudi Arabia
Report: Trump threatened to remove US troops from Saudi if no oil production cut Trump told the Saudi Crown Prince that US troops would leave Saudi Arabia if OPEC did not cut production, according to a new report. Saudi Arabia
Pompeo argues US still in Iran deal in bid to snap back global sanctions Can the United States use the UN to force other countries to sanction Iran? Russia
Russia doubles down on Iraq despite COVID-19 Moscow and Baghdad continue to plot a course for bilateral relations, though the process is being complicated by Iraq’s precarious political situation and the global coronavirus crisis. Iraq
Turkey’s S-400 delay is about more than just the economy and COVID-19 Turkey’s deepening economic woes are widely seen as the prime reason behind its decision to delay the activation of the Russian S-400 systems. But an array of other factors have been at play that are forcing Ankara to think twice. Turkey
Why Russia’s grip on Syrian military is weaker than it seems Russia’s attempts to centralize the command of numerous pro-Assad militias operating in Syria have been a mixed bag, to say the least. Syria
Turkey plays extra time in Idlib game with new ‘army’ plan Turkey is reportedly planning to forge a unified militia army in Idlib, but discord among armed groups and the clout of jihadi factions stand out as major stumbling blocks in the way of the new game plan. Syria
Intel: Turkey says S-400 stance unchanged despite US pressure Turkey’s stance on its S-400s hasn’t changed, even as the United States appeared to dangle support in Syria in exchange for Ankara abandoning the controversial Russian missile defense systems, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Tuesday. Syria
