The week after next, for the first time since his inauguration, United States President Joe Biden will attend diplomatic summits in Europe. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions in the first six months of his presidency, Biden only attended high-level summits remotely through videoconferencing.

A wind of normalization is blowing through the Middle East. It all started with the Gulf states ending their blockade of Qatar. The trend continued with the United States moving to reinstate the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. The fourth round of talks continues in Vienna, in a notably positive atmosphere, as experts note that it would not be surprising for mutual concessions to lead to an agreement.

Turkey and Egypt took a new step toward normalization, as a Turkish delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Önal, visited Cairo following contact between intelligence chiefs and foreign ministers.

Washington's gradual disengagement strategy from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has taken a new shape as news continues to arrive from Vienna on the renewed talks related to Iran's nuclear file.

Recently, the United States has taken critical steps to 'recognize' certain historical developments. These “recognitions” are unilateral actions that, for the most part, challenge the basic principles of international law.

Expectations need to be moderated despite the optimism

Last week, 104 retired admirals released a declaration warning the government and state institutions to abide by the Montreux Convention and abandon plans to build a new canal in Istanbul.

Two trends seem to be competing with one another during the coronavirus crisis in recent weeks. On the one hand, the number of people who have been vaccinated has been increasing as of late, while on the other hand, many countries seem to be heading toward a third wave of the virus. In countries like the U.S., which has been the epicenter of the pandemic for the last 12 months, the number of those who received at least one jab reached 161 million as of April 2.

Turkey maintains its decisive stance on the ground as normalization signals with Egypt worry the duo further

In order for normalization initiatives to bear fruit, ambassadors must be appointed or an agreement on maritime jurisdiction areas must be signed, which are, in fact, options that are not too far-fetched

Some influential figures in Washington and Brussels are continuing to advise authorities on both sides of the Atlantic to sideline, or even contain Turkey in the defense architecture of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), the Black Sea region and southeastern Europe.

Turkey and Egypt, which have been experiencing a tense relationship since the military coup against the democratically elected government of Mohammed Morsi in July 2013, have initiated a new diplomatic dialogue in response to changing regional and global dynamics.

It is time for everyone in the Middle East to make a new strategic assessment. Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu announced last Friday that Turkey had made 'diplomatic contact' with Egypt.

The Middle East is not a foreign policy priority for U.S. President Joe Biden – just as it wasn’t for his predecessors Barack Obama and Donald Trump.

Pashinian, a pro-American politician, could not strike a healthy balance between the Russian influence over his country and his government’s policy of closer cooperation with the Western alliance.

The new U.S. administration has declared that it intends to follow a “de-Trumpization policy” in the Middle East.

If they were more supportive, Washington and Brussels could help Ankara and Athens improve their bilateral initiatives