Azerbaijan and/or Turkiye might decide to forcibly “demilitarize” Armenia once Russia no longer has any CSTO mutual defense commitments to it in order to sustainably ensure that the regional threat of Armenian revanchism never returns. Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan announced that his country plans to withdraw from the CSTO at …
Read More »Is Turkey gearing up for a new military offensive against Syria’s Kurds?
Analysis: Turkey has said that the Kurdish-led administration’s decision to hold elections is unacceptable, but is a military operation likely? Turkey is once again using threatening language after the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES) scheduled local elections for 11 June in the territories under its control. …
Read More »Russian-Turkish Preparations for Opening of Abu al-Zindeen Crossing: Between Regime and Opposition
The Sultan Murad Division briefly reopened the crossing in September 2022 before closing it again due to public outrage. Preparations are underway between the Russian and Turkish sides in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo to reopen the Abu al-Zindeen crossing, which separates the areas controlled by opposition factions backed by …
Read More »Turkey’s Authoritarian Turn in Recent Years
Since his sweeping overhaul of Turkey’s political system in 2017, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cemented his near-total control over the country, even if he has undermined the country’s democracy to do so. Under his increasingly authoritarian rule, dissent has become more and more dangerous, with numerous opposition leaders, civil …
Read More »Turkey’s Fidan holds talks in Russia ahead of BRICS summit
Fidan’s attendance at the BRICS+ summit comes at a time when Turkey’s dismay with the European Union is growing over pending resumption of the modernization of the Customs Union Treaty. ANKARA — Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Secretary of the Security Council of Russia Sergei Shoigu in Moscow …
Read More »Turkish Foreign Minister Meets with Hamas Leader in Qatar
Latest Developments Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh during a visit to Qatar on June 9. Fidan arrived in Doha for a ministerial meeting of the Turkey-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) High Level Strategic Dialogue. His encounter with Haniyeh took place on the sidelines of the …
Read More »In China, Turkey’s Fidan says he plans to attend BRICS meeting in Russia
The top Turkish diplomat says his country explores new opportunities with BRICS Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend the China-led BRICS+ meeting in Russia next week as Turkey explores new cooperation opportunities. “While we have a customs union with the EU, we also explore new opportunities for cooperation with …
Read More »For some Palestinians who adored Turkey’s Erdogan, Gaza response ‘too little, too late’
While prior to Oct. 7 the Turkish leader was viewed favorably among wide swaths of Palestinians for his harsh rhetoric against Israel, many now say he’s done too little since the outbreak of the war. When rogue officers sought to overthrow Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in a bloody coup …
Read More »Turkey’s Dwindling International Role
Multiple crises have taken the international spotlight off Turkey. This, combined with Ankara’s contradictory foreign policy ambitions and rule-of-law deficiencies, limits the country’s global clout. This month marks the first year of Turkey’s current five-year legislature. When Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was elected for his third presidential mandate with 52 percent …
Read More »Turkey’s Syrian Mercenaries Come To The Sahel In Africa
Long a sinecure of former colonial powers, large parts of Africa have in recent years become a wide-open marketplace for new foreign players. While much of the focus – and hysteria – in the West has been about the resurgence of China and Russia in Africa, there is also a …
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