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
Raqqa brigade continues to raise flag of Syrian revolution Abu Issa, commander of Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa, spoke to Al-Monitor about the ongoing fight against the Islamic State and being committed to the principles of the Syrian revolution. Syria
How the PKK is entering energy wars The PKK has stepped up attacks on oil and gas pipelines in Turkey. Turkey
Is Putin trying to pressure Assad to negotiate? Since Russia announced its partial withdrawal of troops from Syria, Iranian commentators have been scrambling to explain the "surprising" decision. Russia
Can Israel influence the 'day after' in Syria? Israeli experts fear that the Russian pullout of Syria will provide Hezbollah with influence along the border of the Golan Heights. Israel
How Iran views the Russian withdrawal from Syria Iranian media and analysts speculate on Russia's sudden decision to pull some of its troops from Syria and what this means for the fate of the cease-fire. Syria
Putin to Assad: Do svidaniya Russian President Vladimir Putin is saying "do svidaniya" — goodbye — to Syria, announcing the start of a Russian military withdrawal that Putin said he hoped would bolster Syria peace talks underway in Geneva. Syria
Erdogan intensifies assault on independent media US State Department calls on Turkey to respect "democratic values"; Israel considers Erdogan a "lost cause," sees Putin winning "on all counts." Israel
Is the EU really ready to commit to Turkey? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is feeling his oats as he renegotiates his deal with the European Union. Syria
Davutoglu attempts to get back to zero problems with Iran Analysts warn that an unpredictable harsh statement by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could undermine Davutoglu’s efforts to gain a piece of the Iranian pie. Syria
Why Israel needs Putin more than it needs Erdogan Reconciliation with Turkey is stalled, possibly due to Israeli-Russian security interests regarding Syria, Lebanon and Hezbollah, as well as Russian hostility to Israeli-Turkish rapprochement. Israel
If Syria cease-fire fails, what is Plan B? The United States said it was encouraged that the Syrian cessation of hostilities appeared to be holding, with no significant violations reported in the past day, as analysts said Russia was backing the truce because it feared a quagmire and talk of a US "Plan B." Syria
TIMELINE: Key players reflect on US policy in Syria In this interactive timeline, US lawmakers and former administration officials open up about their failure to prevent disaster in Syria. Syria
