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—a group, which has roots in al-Qaeda and may have the most radical post-Assad political agenda; however, now Russia is negotiating with HTS its future presence in Syria. The Russian side has contacts to other influential groups in Syria including Turkey-backed Syrian National Army and Kurdish-based Syrian Democratic Forces. One should not underestimate deep Russia’s links to the Alawite community in the West of the country.
Of course, the fate of Syria ultimately depends on the Syrians themselves,...
... limestone, phosphates, marble, salt, gypsum and oil—but will the trio manage to extract them on their own (though jointly) in commercial quantities to gain economic sovereignty, not just political one? Or all hopes are again pinned on Russia, China, Turkey, Iran and other non-Western nations? And if so, is “sovereignty” the right word here? Of course, “dependence” on Russia, for example, would differ from neocolonialism by ensuring “fairness” and “equality between partners,” as evidenced ...
Damascus and Ankara sharing more and more interests
The leaders of Syria and Turkey have recently made frequent public declarations of their readiness to start the process of normalizing bilateral relations soon, with Russia as a mediator. Syrian President Bashar Assad, while receiving Russian President's Special Envoy on Syria ...
... tension and hostility to recent attempts at normalization. Some signs suggest a mutual desire to enhance relations, evident in meetings at various levels, notably involving intelligence agency directors and foreign ministers.
Ilya Vedeneyev:
Syria–Turkey Relations: A Road to Normalization
In Moscow in 2023, recent developments hint that normalization between Syria and Türkiye may be achievable. This includes the resumption of diplomatic contacts and positive exchanges between Syrian leader Bashar ...
... in 2020, the balance of power—maintained for 26 years—underwent radical transformations. And this did not only concern a separate ethno-political conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. There was a quality change in the role of external forces. Turkey’s unprecedented involvement in the Azerbaijani military campaign to restore the latter’s territorial integrity was the first case of disturbing the status quo in the region, all that with a non-Soviet state and a NATO member involved. In September ...
... circumstances, political and economic trends in the Middle East require a degree of theoretical conceptualization. The authors of this report analyze the current political and economic trends in the region’s Arab countries and non-Arab states, including Iran, Turkey, and Israel. Additionally, the authors examine key foreign policy trends in Middle Eastern states.
Regional Trends in the Middle East: Political and Economic Dynamics
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... noting that the country became the greatest reseller of Russian gold in 2022. Russia’s gold exports to the Emirates in 2022 totaled 75.7 tons or $4.3 billion.
Another important factor shaping the Middle East’s approach to international relations is Turkey’s foreign policy. Particularly important, is Turkey’s position on Syria prior to the presidential elections in May 2023, and the new aspects it has now acquired following the victory of incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Judging by the ...
Avoiding a new round of violence is ultimately in the interests of all the players involved in resolving the Syrian problem
Ankara is paying great attention to the security problems germinating in the southern borders of Turkey. This issue has become especially important for Turkey, given that it is on the eve of its presidential and parliamentary elections, which are to be held in June this year.
Interestingly, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan is trying to solve ...
No matter how well the cooperation between Ankara and Kiev may develop, Erdogan will not forget about the “intermediary” role between Ukraine and Russia
On February 3, 2022, President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan made an official visit to Ukraine, during which he managed to put his signature to a Turkey–Ukraine free trade agreement following more than
ten years
of negotiations on the provisions of the document. But this was not the ...
... within the framework of the sixth round of the project “A New Agenda for Russia–UK Relations”
On February 9, 2022, the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) with the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) held a closed online workshop on Turkey's foreign policy and regional security issues in the Middle East. The workshop was organized within the framework of the sixth round of the project “A New Agenda for Russia–UK Relations”.
The goals of the meeting were to discuss the interests ...
