Eurasia

Turkey’s defense spending stood at 29.4 billion Turkish Liras ($13.2 billion) this year, Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz said on Nov. 2, in response to a parliamentary question from a deputy of the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Turkey spent some 1.71 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense …

The German government on Monday refused to recognize a controversial election in eastern Ukraine and threatened further sanctions against Russia “if the situation gets worse.” The German government did not recognize the Sunday election in the eastern part of Ukraine, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said at a press conference in Berlin.

Egypt Minister of Defence Sedki Sobhi met Saturday with his Italian counterpart Roberta Pinotti to discuss international developments in the Middle East and the Mediterranean region, including terrorism and its impact on security and stability, as well as clandestine migration. Sobhi is also the commander in chief of Egypt’s armed …

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone that Sunday’s planned elections in eastern Ukraine were illegitimate and would not be recognized by European leaders, a Berlin government spokesman said on Friday.

Turkey cannot agree to de facto borders in Syria or Iraq, and the terrorist Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant will not be able to realize such an aim, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said. “Turkey cannot say ‘yes’ to any de facto borders in the Middle East. Steps to be …

NATO Thursday said it detected and monitored four groups of Russian military aircraft conducting significant military manoeuvers in European airspace over the Baltic Sea, North Sea/Atlantic Ocean, and Black Sea on 28 and 29 October. These sizable Russian flights represent an unusual level of air activity over European airspace, said …

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan took aim at Western leaders in Paris on Oct. 31 for focusing “too much” on the battle over the Syrian border town of Kobane, drawing nods from his host, President François Hollande, who highlighted Aleppo. “Why are coalition forces continually bombing this town of Kobane?” Erdoğan asked while speaking …

French Finance Minister Michel Sapin on Thursday said the conditions had not yet been met to deliver the first of two controversial Mistral helicopter carriers to Russia, rejecting reports that Moscow would receive the first of them on Nov. 14. Speaking about the conditions that need to be met, Sapin …

Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani on Friday invited the Taliban to join in a peace process backed by the international community. Speaking at a conference on Afghan peace and reconstruction in Beijing, Mr. Ghani made no specific proposals and indicated government forces wouldn’t back away from the fight. However, his mention …

The Egyptian, Cypriot and Greek foreign ministers met in the Cypriot capital Nicosia Wednesday to discuss shared interests and issues relating to energy, security, and tourism. The meeting took place in preparation for a new round of talks in Cairo on 8 November. A statement released by the Cypriot foreign …