Why is Turkish foreign policy under attack?
Turkey faces growing pressure to retreat from three locations: Idlib, where Turkish forces are trying to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe; Libya, with which the Turks concluded a defense pact; and the Eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey is defending its rights under international law.
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Europe, U.S. must save Idlib
Hardly a day goes by without the Bashar Assad regime bombing hospitals, schools and bakeries in Idlib. Since the Jan. 12 cease-fire, more than 130 civilians have died in military operations that undermine both Astana and Sochi peace deals.
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German Chancellor Angela Merkel, on a diplomatic offensive since the Berlin conference, visited Istanbul on Friday. The wide range of topics on her agenda included bilateral trade, the European Union, the situation in Idlib, the proposed safe zone, the Eastern Mediterranean, Libya and refugees, all of which stressed the importance of strengthening German-Turkish cooperation.
Last week an important international meeting was held in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel's diplomatic efforts. Turkey, Russia, the UAE and Egypt, as well as representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Congo, Algeria, United Nations and African Union, participated in the Berlin conference.
Turkey is exerting a huge diplomatic effort to allow the fragile cease-fire in Libya to blossom into a lasting peace. Italian Prime Minister Conte visited the Turkish capital Monday, immediately following Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. At the same time, Turkey's foreign minister, defense minister and intelligence chief spent the day in Moscow to facilitate talks between Libya's various warring factions.
With tensions between Iran and the United States de-escalating for now, there is talk about cease-fire agreements in Libya and Idlib.
2020: The state of play
The year 2019, which set the stage for extraordinary developments, has now ended. Living the fast life must be the distinguishing feature of modern times. Over the last year, the world talked about Brexit, NATO's future, U.S. President Donald Trump's impeachment, Israeli expansionism, the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, protests in Hong Kong, Iran, Iraq, France and Bolivia, trade wars, the S-400 deal, Turkey's local elections, the Syrian civil war, Operation Peace Spring, the assassination of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Aramco attacks, Turkey's new indigenous car, Kanal Istanbul, U.S. sanctions, economic recovery, the Eastern Mediterranean and Libya.
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The new dynamics of Turkey-West relations
The traditional notion of the 'Western alliance' is no longer relevant for Ankara, which has instead adopted a more effective approach dominated by its own diplomatic agenda
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NATO leaders met in London at a time of uncertainty for the U.K. While the public and British authorities are overwhelmed with the debates on Brexit and getting ready for the parliamentary elections to be held next week, the NATO leaders' summit was held in the British capital to make landmark decisions for the future of the alliance. NATO is celebrating the 70th anniversary of its establishment, and the defense alliance was in search of a new vision and updated agenda.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is attending the NATO Leaders Meeting in London on Wednesday, after a series of meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday. Following NATO's 70th anniversary celebrations, Erdoğan will inaugurate a local mosque in Cambridge.
French President Emmanuel Macron told The Economist last week that NATO was "brain dead." He blamed the alliance's supposed problem on the lack of "coordination... of strategic decision-making between the United States and its NATO allies." Macron added that Turkey's actions were "uncoordinated," warning that NATO failed to monitor the actions of its members.
The U.N. has unfortunately turned out to be a platform where the significance of multilateralism and global cooperation is increasingly ignored or even damaged
Pesident Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is in New York this week, leading a delegation, to attend the U.N. General Assembly's 74th session. After meeting civil society leaders and think tanks Sunday, Erdoğan held a series of talks with world leaders on Monday. Yesterday, he addressed the General Assembly, delivering a speech akin to his 2014 address. .
The killing of 49 Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand was a terrorist act of critical importance. One of the terrorists, Australian Brenton Tarrant, broadcast the massacre live on social media after posting an 87-page manifesto online.
The Europeans are following in America's footsteps, revealing that they only care about their own interests. Their support for Egypt proves that
The Munich Security Conference is an influential platform where global security trends are discussed every year by academics and policymakers.
The spreading disorder in Europe has recently haunted France, putting the country's democracy to a huge test and alarming after EU states as well
President Erdoğan has called on Western powers to stop trying to negotiate new Sykes-Picot style agreements in the Middle East and North Africa, and urges them to support Turkey's fight against terrorism
The Trump administration's complete disregard for international institutions and norms, commitment to unilateralism, ability to weaponize economic sanctions, populism, selfish nationalism, willingness to transform immigration into a national security threat, and isolationism have been slowly changing Western democracies.
The killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a well-known Saudi journalist, an intellectual and a contributor to The Washington Post, will be remembered as a milestone for Saudi Middle Eastern policy.
Under the Trump administration, the United States will continue to ignore its global responsibilities.
