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
Russia, Oman size each other up as potential Mideast allies Despite a challenging history, Russia finds common ground with Oman, which sometimes seems the "odd man out" in the Gulf. Oman
Upcoming Putin, Trump talks should prove interesting What is the agenda for the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin? Trump wants to talk North Korea, but Moscow is seeking a broader, more in-depth conversation on the Middle East. Syria
Kurdish rift emerges between Erdogan, Putin A fundamental disagreement over the role of Syria’s Kurds threatens to wreck Turkey’s partnership with Russia, atop already simmering tensions with the United States. Syria
Putin, Khamenei agree they need each other Iran and Russia deepen energy cooperation; Iran has Hezbollah’s back; does the CIA have a back channel to Assad? Iraq
Iran’s Khamenei has three main messages for Putin at summit Tehran wants to strengthen existing ties with Russia and develop new areas of cooperation while isolating the United States at the same time. Syria
Russian summit on Syria raises controversy, doubt The Syrian opposition suspects Russia’s upcoming congress is a ploy to bolster the regime and dilute the United Nations’ influence. Syria
Israel, Hezbollah playing Russian roulette in Syria Russia has managed to prevent confrontations between Israel and Hezbollah in Syria, but will its luck run out in the long term? Israel
Opposition leader implores US not to abandon Syria to Russia and Iran The new leader of the Syrian national coalition shared with Al-Monitor his plans for lobbying the Trump administration during his first visit to Washington. Syria
Putin resets Iraqi energy landscape as Barzani steps aside Russian moves maximize leverage as US stumbles on Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units; Massoud Barzani resigns as Kurdistan Region president; Syria and Russia take initiative with regard to local governance in Syria. Iraq
Syrian Kurds focused on federalism The Iraqi Kurdistan independence referendum continues to make waves in Syria as the country's Kurds believe they can negotiate with the Syrian government to establish a federal state. Iraq
Business as usual as Iraq's foreign minister visits Moscow In meetings this week, Russian and Iraqi officials discussed energy deals, Baghdad's battle with Iraqi Kurdistan and how those topics intersect. Iraq
