Russian influence

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana on July 3, 2024.

Quick Take

Erdogan meets 'dear friend' Putin as Russia, Turkey eye cooperation on Syria

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to bilateral ties only days ahead of the NATO summit.

Radical Palestinian group, Hamas chief, Khaled Meshaal (2nd R) introduces his deputy Moussa Abu Marzouk (L) to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Quick Take

Hamas official in Russia, talks hostages, seeks Moscow mediation in cease-fire

Russia is seeking the release of two of its citizens who are still being held in Gaza. The country hosted Palestinian reconciliation talks earlier this year.

US President Joe Biden (R) and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hold bilateral talks the NATO Summit in Vilnius on July 11, 2023. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

Quick Take

Erdogan and Biden may meet at NATO's US summit in July, ambassador says

Amid widening differences over Gaza, Turkey postponed in April the Turkish president’s visit to the White House that was planned for May.

This pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik shows Russia's President Vladimir Putin attending a virtual summit of the BRICS group of nations (the bloc that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to discuss the Israel-Hamas war, in Moscow on November 21, 2023. (Photo by Alexander KAZAKOV / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ALEXANDER KAZAKOV/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Quick Take

UAE, Saudi, Iran, Egypt, Turkey FMs attend Russia's BRICS meeting

The BRICS foreign ministers meeting focused on diplomatic developments related to the Gaza war and efforts to ditch the US dollar in international trade, among other matters.

Latest News

Saudi cautious as Iran looks to make gains from Putin’s China visit

A military band welcomed the President with the Russian national anthem, and the Russian tricolor was hoisted over Tiananmen Square.

Joyce Karam

By Joyce Karam

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional geopolitics, China in the Middle East

Regional View

As Russia's footprint slumps, can Turkey anchor Armenia, Azerbaijan to West?

This photograph taken on Sept. 22, 2023, shows an Armenian flag fluttering near the border with Azerbaidjan near Kornidzor.

Quick Take

Iran, Russia enhance security cooperation in Kazakhstan meeting

GAVRIIL GRIGOROV/AFP via Getty Images

Regional View

Has Turkey’s Erdogan axed his Biden meeting because of Israel?

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and US President Joe Biden shake hands at the start of the first plenary session of the NATO summit at the Ifema congress centre in Madrid, on June 29, 2022.

Quick Take

Pentagon confirms talks to withdraw US troops from Niger

Protesters react as a man holds up a sign demanding that soldiers from the United States Army leave Niger without negotiation during a demonstration in Niamey, on April 13, 2024. Thousands of people demonstrated on April 13, 2024 in Niger's capital Niamey to demand the immediate departure of American soldiers based in northern Niger, after the military regime said it was withdrawing from a 2012 cooperation deal with Washington. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Elizabeth Tsurkov

Lawmakers urge Biden to help free Princeton researcher kidnapped in Iraq

The State Department says it has urged senior Iraqi officials to locate and secure the release of Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian researcher believed to be held by Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Regional View

Northern Cyprus tightens property sales rules amid influx of Russian money

Northern Cyprus seeks to tighten its laws on real estate purchases to foreigners amid allegations of Russian black money, Zionist plots and encouragement from Ankara.

A French soldier of the operation Barkhane, an anti-terrorist mission in Sahel, patrols as a tiger helicopter operates a tactical flight on March 12, 2016 in Mali. France's Barkhane counter-terror mission comprises at least 3,500 soldiers deployed across five countries (Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso) with a mandate to combat jihadist insurgencies in the region.

Quick Take

US aims to keep troops in Niger despite junta decision on ending counterterrorism ties

Niger’s ruling military junta announced Saturday it was cutting ties with US special operations forces, threatening to undermine a key point of US influence as Russia expands its military foothold across Central Africa.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan in Saint Petersburg on Oct. 11, 2022.

Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, others shower Russia’s Putin with congratulatory messages

Several leaders in the region have extended their congratulations to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin over his reelection, as Western countries condemned the Russian elections as unfair.

Beatrice Farhat

By Beatrice Farhat

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

RED SEA - MAY 10: In this handout photo provided by the U.S. Navy, Logistics Specialist 1st Class Ousseinou Kaba (left), from Silver Spring, Md., and Logistics Specialist Seaman Abigail Marshke, from Flint, Mich., attach cargo to an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter from the "Nightdippers" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5 from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) May 10, 2019 in the Red Sea. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group has been deployed to U.S. Cen

Regional View

How Russia seeks to capitalize on US strikes in Yemen, Red Sea tensions

Russia has maintained balanced relations in Yemen, while avoiding criticism of the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, even as its trade has been affected.

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard boats attack a naval vessel during a three-day military drill in the Gulf on April 22, 2010.

Regional View

Iran, Russia, China conduct new military drills, defying Western pressure

The exercise brought together the three countries' lead warships for the stated purpose of bolstering maritime security, while Tehran-backed Yemeni rebels continued to target international navigation in the wake of the Gaza war.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MARCH 08: President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to the media during a joint press conference with President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky on March 08, 2024 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Turkey’s Erdogan hosts Zelenskyy, hopeful on Ukraine-Russia compromise

Zelenskyy’s visit to Turkey comes one week after that of Lavrov, and as Ankara is trying to find a compromise between Moscow and Kyiv on a Black Sea mechanism.

Ezgi Akin

By Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Supporters hold a poster depicting Malis interim leader and head of Junta, Colonel Assimi Goïta (L) and Guinea Interim leader and head of Junta, Mamady Doumbouya (R), in Bamako, Mali, on September 22, 2022 during Mali's Independence Day military parade. (Photo by OUSMANE MAKAVELI / AFP) (Photo by OUSMANE MAKAVELI/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

As Mali’s junta pokes at Algeria, what’s at stake for North Africa and Sahel?

Three years after severing its ties with Morocco, Algeria faces challenges in its relations with Mali and other Sahel countries.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

ranian President Ebrahim Raisi (L) and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune (R).

Quick Take

Iran, Algeria to build closer energy, tourism ties

Europe is increasingly interested in Algeria as an alternative to Russia for gas supplies, while Iran is seeking to boost its own gas output amid continued US sanctions.

A young boy carries the flag of Fatah as he walks past a mural painting of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, during a solidarity march with the Palestinians of the Gaza Strip on Oct. 27, 2023.

Quick Take

What we know about Palestinian talks in Russia seeking unity

The meeting, in which rival Palestinian factions endorsed unity under the PLO umbrella, follows the resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh and comes as Russia is seeking a diplomatic role in the war.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas gesticulates during a joint press conference with the German Chancellor at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, on August 16, 2022. (Photo by JENS SCHLUETER / AFP) (Photo by JENS SCHLUETER/AFP via Getty Images)

As Palestinians head to Russia, Abbas ponders least bad option for PM

A large Palestinian delegation will head to Moscow this week to try and reach consensus on a postwar government that could include Hamas representatives in an expanded Palestine Liberation Organization.

Daoud Kuttab

By Daoud Kuttab

In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics

In this pool photograph distributed by Russian news agency Sputnik on Dec. 7, 2023, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow.

Regional View

Iran exports to Russia hit high of $2B as sanctions strengthen alliance

The significant jump in Iranian exports to Russia is indicative of the two states' increasing focus on joint solutions to circumvent international sanctions that have squeezed their economies.