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
Idlib and the collapse of Erdogan’s foreign policy Gambling on Russia to secure results in Syria turns out to be Ankara’s biggest miscalculation Syria
Pompeo calls for Idlib cease-fire The US secretary of state calls for an Idlib cease-fire as the UN and aid groups warn the exodus marks the largest humanitarian crisis in the nine-year Syrian war. Syria
Intel: US leans on Turkey despite tensions The top US military commander in Europe told Congress today that Turkey remains a key ally despite the Donald Trump administration’s decision to boot the NATO partner from the F-35 program after it took delivery of the Russian S-400 air defense system last summer. Syria
Hamas-Russia meeting in Doha riles PA The Palestinian Authority has accused Hamas of going over its head in meeting with Russian officials about the US peace plan. Palestine
Can Ankara’s sudden change of heart on NATO save the day in Idlib? Ankara’s abrupt U-turn to reembrace NATO appears driven by conjunctural necessity to balance Russia in Idlib and Libya rather than a new realization of structural dependency between Turkey and NATO. Syria
Idlib exposes Erdogan's untenable policies Turkey’s predicament in Idlib has laid bare its weaknesses and the longstanding inconsistencies in its foreign and security policy as never before, boding adverse repercussions for the government, both at home and abroad. Syria
Russia lends Egypt $25 billion for Dabaa nuclear power plant Experts warn that all safety and security precautions must be taken before the Dabaa nuclear plant in Marsa Matrouh is established, and they fear the impact of the massive Russian loan of $25 billion on the rise of Egypt's external debt. Egypt
The urgent conversation Trump, Putin need to have about Syria As Idlib refugee crisis grows, US risks superpower confrontation over missiles. Syria
Turkey asks US for missile defense amid Syria standoff Turkey has asked the United States to deploy Patriot batteries to its southern border, a US official told Al-Monitor. Syria
Turkey tests limits of Moscow-Damascus alliance Turkey’s attempt to test the waters by leading a push by the Syrian rebels has shown that Russia is apparently strongly determined to support the regime. Syria
Damascus brushes off Ankara's threats as Assad's forces make gains in Aleppo Syrian forces have expelled opposition factions 12 miles from the vicinity of the city of Aleppo, opening the highway between Aleppo and Damascus at a time when Ankara is stepping up its rhetoric and threatening to launch a military attack. Syria
Intel: Why Russia's defense minister met with Libyan strongman Hifter Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu hosted Khalifa Hifter, the commander of the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), in Moscow Feb. 19. Turkey
