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NATO

NATO
Russia grows stronger in East Med while US looks for comfort

| Opinion
International focus has been on the Middle East for decades and particularly on Iran, Syria, …

Bu Konuda Daha Fazla

  • Turkish and Russian flags

    It is true President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin have had an amenable relationship. Turkey and Russia are also both regional actors that share partnerships on many issues. The recent cooperation between the two countries is not as black and white as foreign affairs and alliances between countries were during the Cold War. To call this period of cooperation a "honeymoon," however, would be incorrect.

  • Armoured personnel carriers and tanks of Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) are seen on their way as Turkey continues to deploy reinforcements to observation points in Syria's Idlib on February 09, 2020 in Hatay, Turkey.TAF deployed armoured personnel carriers (APC), launching pads, tanks and ammunitions to observation points in Syria's Idlib.

    No region will be safe or secure unless the Syrian regime brutality is put to an end

  • Syrian families, who have been forced to displace due to the ongoing attacks carried out by Assad regime and Russia, are seen on their way to safer zones with their belongings, from Daret Izze, Etarib regions in Idlib, Syria on February 11, 2020. More than 27.000 civilians have fled their homes falling inside the Idlib de-escalation zone in Syria over the last four days due to attacks of regime and its allies.

    Even though the Syrian crisis continues to influence politics in the Middle East and the global balance, the European Union and major European powers, like the U.K., Germany and France, have continued to be the most reluctant and ineffective actors dealing with the crisis.

  • Turkey’s president presented a book about the country’s role in NATO to the leaders of Germany, France and Britain during a quartet meeting in the U.K. Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented Turkey: The Powerful Member of the Strategic Alliance published by the Turkish Communications Directorate to French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Published in Turkish, English, French and German, the book provides detailed information about the duties and contributions of NATO member Turkey to the alliance. The book, which touches on the perspectives of Turkey and other countries regarding NATO, also has a chapter on Turkey's expectations from the alliance. The chapter highlighted the common fight against terrorism as well as the expected continuation of NATO's contributions to Turkey's defense. Turkey's expectations regarding contributions of NATO members to the establishment of a safe zone in northern Syria were also expressed in this section. The book was also presented to U.S. President Donald Trump and his delegation during Erdogan's visit to the U.S..

    There is an ongoing debate on Turkey's foreign policy decisions vis-a-vis the brewing crisis in Idlib. A rhetorical whirlpool has emerged around tensions with Russia, the significance of U.S. and EU statements, and Turkey's homework for Idlib.

  • Idlib

    The recent escalation of tensions around Idlib which have developed in response to coordinated attacks by the Syrian regime and Russia have put the pledges of the Astana and Sochi peace processes under a heavy strain..

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