EU-Mideast ties

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (C/L) welcomes President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at The Chigi Palace in Rome, on Feb. 24, 2025.

Meloni to attend GCC summit in Bahrain as Italy deepens Gulf ties

The summit is expected to focus on economic integration in the Gulf, but regional issues will likely loom just as large, including post-war Gaza and the conflict in Sudan.

President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan greets Pope Leo XIV during a welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace, Ankara, Nov. 27, 2025.

In first foreign visit, Pope Leo meets Erdogan, urges Turkey to uphold pluralism

On his inaugural foreign visit to Turkey, Pope Leo called for respect for pluralism after meeting with the Turkish president.

Andreas SOLARO / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Pope Leo in Turkey, navigating faith, politics and Orthodox tensions

The visit will bolster Turkey’s image on religious tolerance and shared positions with the Vatican while Ankara navigates sensitive issues surrounding the Halki Seminary and the Greek Patriarchate’s ecumenical status.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

(COMBO) This combination created on February 24, 2025 of file pictures shows the leader and top candidate for Chancellor of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party Friedrich Merz (L, on February 24, 2025 in Berlin) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (on December 9, 2024 in Jerusalem.. Friedrich Merz, who is expected to be Germany's next chancellor after his conservative CDU/CSU bloc won national elections, said on February 24, 2025 that he would make sure Benjamin Netanyahu "can visit" G

Germany lifts Israel arms embargo: What changed in Berlin?

With the ceasefire in place, even though violated at times, Berlin decided to lift the partial arms embargo it imposed on Israel.

Latest News

Italy’s Meloni hosts Abbas amid EU Palestinian statehood push: What we know

FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

UK chases elusive GCC trade deal that could boost exports, economic links

UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves, right, and Qatari Finance Minister Ali bin Ahmed al-Kuwari arrive at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 28, 2025.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Pentagon’s top general to visit Gaza monitoring center in Israel

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - JULY 18: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine attends a meeting between Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz at the Pentagon on July 18, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. This is Katz's first official visit to the United States and the counterparts will discuss shared defense priorities, including Iran’s threat posture and the ongoing war in Gaza. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Culture

From viral fame to fine craft: Dubai Chocolate finds new life in London

Some Dubai-style Chocolate being made at Melt Chocolatier's masterclass in London.

United Arab Emirates

France's Minister of Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna (2R) meets with soldiers of the French contingent of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), outside the Pine Residence, the French Ambassador's official residence in Beirut, on December 18, 2023. France's top diplomat is in Lebanon on December 18, for talks on de-escalating near-daily exchanges of fire on the Israel border, which have triggered fears of all-out conflict. (Photo by Anwar AMRO / AFP) (Photo by ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Image

Breaking | Last Updated: January 11, 2024, 4:42 pm

French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna out as France changes cabinet

With French President Emmanuel Macron still in charge of his country's foreign policies, Colonna's exit is unlikely to affect Paris' Middle East positions.

Turkey’s parliament to resume debate on Sweden’s NATO bid

Shortly after the parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee set a date for its new meeting, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced that Turkey and the United States held high-level talks on defense cooperation.

TOPSHOT - German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (R) gestures after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a guest book during his visit at Bellevue presidential palace in Berlin on November 17, 2023. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP) (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP via Getty Images)

In balancing Turkey's interests, Erdogan walks tightrope between West, Hamas

Despite his high-pitched criticism of Israel, Erdogan is expected to tread cautiously on ties with Hamas, unwilling to add further strain on Turkey’s relations with the West and jeopardize trade with Israel.

French President Emmanuel Macron attends a video conference at the presidential Elysee Palace on Oct. 20, 2023.

How France is targeting Hamas financing

Representatives of 20 countries gathered in Paris to formulate a plan against the financing of Hamas and expand sanctions against its members.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (C) speaks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom (L).

Why Turkey is still dragging its feet on Sweden's NATO accession

Turkey’s top diplomat discussed the pending Swedish membership on the sidelines of the NATO summit with his US and Swedish counterparts as well as the NATO chief.

Zaid Abdulnasser

As Germany expands anti-Hamas raids, a Palestinian activist fights against deportation

Caught in a web of geopolitics, migration policy and Germany’s growing attempts to contend with pro-Palestinian speech, Zaid Abdulnasser is fighting a battle to avoid deportation from his new home.

Borrell

Analysis

US, French, Irish diplomats flock to Middle East with focus on Gaza aid

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu and senior American officials are visiting Israel and the region in a bid to advance humanitarian aid for Gaza.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

The Soloturk aerobatic demonstration team of the Turkish Air Force flies an F-16 aircraft over Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Turkish Republic's Founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, during celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey in Ankara, on October 29, 2023. Turkey marked its centenary as a post-Ottoman republic on October 29, 2023, with somewhat muted celebrations held in the shadow of Israel's escalating war with Hamas militants in Gaza. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALT

Turkey, Greece agree on confidence-building measures as Ankara eyes F-16s

The announcement comes as Ankara seeks to overcome congressional objections to its bid to purchase new F-16 jets from the United States.

VILNIUS, LITHUANIA - JULY 11: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the opening high-level session of the 2023 NATO Summit on July 11, 2023 in Vilnius, Lithuania. The summit is bringing together NATO members and partner countries heads of state from July 11-12 to chart the alliance's future, with Sweden's application for membership and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine as major topics on the summit agenda. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Explainer: Why Turkey's Erdogan finally initiated Sweden’s NATO ratification

Turkish officials caution that ratification of Sweden's accession to NATO is not a done deal and that the process remains littered with challenges.

Octopus Energy's wind turbine in Glastonbury, June 13, 2023.

Morocco-UK Xlinks undersea power cable to generate 'real value': Octopus Energy

Octopus Energy CEO Greg Jackson said that it would help Morocco fight climate change.

A Palestinian van carrying a family and their belongings arrives at the Rafah refugee camp, in the southern Gaza Strip on Oct. 15, 2023.

European Union launches humanitarian air bridge for Gazans via Egypt

The European Union will start sending humanitarian aid for displaced Gaza residents, including shelters, medicines and hygiene kits.

Policemen from the River Brigade (Brigade Fluviale) patrol on a boat on the Seine River, in front of the Louvres' museum in Paris on May 9, 2023.

France on high alert due to Hamas-Israel war, Louvre Museum closed

The killing on Friday of teacher Dominique Bernard was apparently related to tensions in the Middle East, said French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.