NATO should have a few objectives for its summit in Madrid later this month, said former NATO Secretary General George Robertson: “weapons, weapons, weapons—and a free, democratic Ukraine.” Robertson joined three other former NATO chiefs—Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, and Javier Solana—at an Atlantic Council Front Page event …

Kurdish units and Iranian-affiliated factions in Syria have formed a joint operations room under Russian supervision to counter a possible Turkish military operation in northern Syria. Several Syrian groups and battalions with different affiliations announced on May 25 the formation of a joint operations room ahead of an imminent Turkish …

The U.S. does not want the Syrian parties to unite in the face of Turkey’s threats, according to al-Watan. Civilian sources in Tal Rifaat and Manbij, located in north and northeast Aleppo, expressed fear that the Turkish regime would launch an aggressive campaign to divide the region into two sections. …

Zuhair Muhammed said Iran continues to strengthen its influence in Syria amid total international inaction, according to the SOC Media Department. The Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) stressed that Iran is seeking to increase its influence in Syria through various means, adding that Iran’s efforts are not limited to military control …

The delegation briefed President Assad on the situation in the Donbas region, according to SANA. President Bashar al-Assad received a joint delegation from the Russian Federation and the Donetsk People’s Republic headed by Deputy Dmitry Sablin, head of the Russian side in the Syrian-Russian Parliamentary Friendship Committee, and Donetsk Foreign …

These are the first tankers to reach the country as part of the new credit line between Iran and Syria, according to al-Watan. Informed sources in Tehran revealed that two tankers arrived on the Syrian coast on Monday. They are the first tankers to reach the country as part of …

According to the confidential source, who spoke to Al-Hal Net, the new coalition member “has links to Turkish intelligence.” Confidential sources revealed to al-Hal net on Sunday the identity of one of the new members of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, a Hasakeh governorate representative, Hussein Raad. According to confidential …

Iran is trying to change the demographic makeup of Syria by transferring families of Shiite fighters, according to Zaman al-Wasl. The Iraqi Hezbollah militia has brought 21 families of its fighters from Iraq to settle in southern Damascus suburbs; a well-informed source told Zaman al-Wasl. The passenger buses arrived from …

The issue of refugees might significantly impact the upcoming elections, according to al-Araby al-Jadeed. A few months ago, a Turkish MP burst into a jewellery store on the Aegean coast with a video camera to interview the owner. He demanded to see his ID, his shopkeeper’s license and recorded their …

A Russian diplomat said Moscow will do all it can to avoid “complications” in Syria, according to SANA. A session of official talks was held in the Kazakh capital this morning between the delegations of the Syrian Arab Republic headed by Dr. Ayman Sousan, Assistant Foreign and Expatriates Minister, and …