Turkey
Turkey pushes offensive in Syria, while Russia moves in where US moved out
Turkey vowed to press ahead with its offensive in northern Syria on Tuesday (15 October) despite US sanctions and growing calls for it to stop, while Syria's Russia-backed army moved on the key city of Manbij that was abandoned by US forces.
Erdogan thanks Orban for ‘support at the international stage’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán met in Baku on Tuesday (15 October), on the fringes of the Turkic Council, a group of countries speaking the same family of languages, which Hungary wants to join.
VW puts on hold plan for €1 bln car factory in Turkey over Syria incursion
Volkswagen has postponed the decision on opening a new car factory in Turkey against the background of the Turkish military offensive in Syria. "The final decision for the new plant was postponed by the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG," a company spokesman said on Tuesday (15 October), confirming media reports.
Russia-backed Syrian army sweeps in to fill US-left vacuum
Russia-backed Syrian forces took rapid advantage of an abrupt US retreat from Syria on Monday (14 October), deploying deep inside Kurdish-held territory south of the Turkish frontier less than 24 hours after Washington announced a full withdrawal.
Thousands flee, hundreds reported dead in Turkish attack on Kurds in Syria
Turkey pounded Kurdish militia in northeast Syria for a second day on Thursday (10 October), forcing tens of thousands of people to flee and killing at least dozens of people in a cross-border assault on US allies that has turned the Washington establishment against President Donald Trump.
The Brief, powered by the Martens Centre – A missing EU word, a lost EU state
Turkish forces have launched airstrikes this week and advanced deeper into Kurdish-held areas in northeast Syria during the second day of Ankara’s invasion in the region. The EU sat on its hands and then came up with a cautious, watered-down statement. Why?
EU urges Turkey to halt Syria invasion, will not pay for ‘safe zone’
The EU on Wednesday (9 October) demanded Turkey halt its military operation against Kurdish militants in northern Syria, telling Ankara the bloc would not pay for any so-called "safe zone" that might be created.
Turkish and Syrian rebel forces to start Syria offensive ‘shortly’
Turkish forces, together with the rebel Free Syrian Army, will cross the Syrian border "shortly", President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s communications director said early on Wednesday (9 October), as a surprise withdrawal of US troops made way for the Turkish incursion.
Trump reconsiders Syria withdrawal, strongly warns Turkey against military adventures
US President Donald Trump warned Turkey Monday (6 October) against going too far in Syria, one day after giving Ankara a green light to invade its southern neighbor, sparking panic among Washington's Kurdish allies.
Turkey moves to ‘clean’ northeastern Syria from Kurds, plans to re-settle 2 million refugees
Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump discussed Turkey's plans to establish a "safe zone" east of the Euphrates River in Syria in a phone call on Sunday (6 October), but the White House said US forces would not be involved.
US warns Turkey over offshore drilling near Cyprus
There are rules in exploring energy resources in the Mediterranean Sea, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Saturday (5 October), warning Turkey not to engage in drilling activity that is "illegal" and "unacceptable".
Tensions grow as Cyprus says Turkish drilling ship violates its rights
Tensions between Cyprus and Turkey over offshore drilling intensified on Friday (4 October) when Nicosia said a decision to send a ship to an area it had already licensed was a "severe escalation" of Turkish violations of its sovereign rights.
Germany’s conservative interior minister now a ‘refugee saviour’
Today, Germany's conservative interior minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) is travelling to Athens to prevent a situation like the 2015 refugee crisis to happen again. He is using the opportunity to work on his image as a 'problem-solver' and is even seeking Turkey's help. EURACTIV's media partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.
Greek PM calls for new EU aid to Turkey to stop migrants
Greece's new conservative leader on Thursday (26 September) called for the European Union to commit more money to support Turkey to stem the rising flow of migrants.
Erdogan, Mitsotakis discuss curbing migrants
Greece's new conservative prime minister met Wednesday (25 September) with Turkey's leader for the first time and asked for cooperation in stemming an uptick in migrant arrivals.
New MEP asks Commission for Turkish to become official EU language
New leftist Cypriot MEP Akel Niyazi Kizilyurek asked the EU Commission whether Turkish could be the EU's 25th language. According to the MEP, this would be one way to prepare for the future reunification of the island of Cyprus. EURACTIV's partner Ouest-France reports.
Commission ‘aware’ of increase of migrants to Greece, Bulgaria
The European Commission said on Tuesday (24 September) it was aware of the recent increase of migrants coming illegally from Turkey into EU members Bulgaria and Greece but dismissed any immediate plans for a possible new migration deal with Ankara.
UN sets constitution committee for Syria, but hopes to end war muted
The United Nations announced Monday (23 September) the long-awaited creation of a constitution-writing committee on Syria that will include the government and opposition, but it remained to be seen if the step could finally end the civil war.
Greek PM urges talks, rejects Turkish refugee ‘threats’
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis rejected on Sunday (8 September) Turkish "threats" to let Syrian refugees come en masse to Europe unless more international aid was provided and called for neighbourly dialogue instead.
US, Turkey launch joint patrols in northeast Syria
The United States and Turkey on Sunday (8 September) began joint patrols in northeastern Syria aimed at easing tensions between Ankara and US-backed Kurdish forces who battled the Islamic State jihadist group.
Putin, Erdogan agree steps to tackle militants in Syria’s Idlib
President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday (27 August) that Russia and Turkey had agreed steps to tackle militants in northwest Syria and “normalize” the situation there after a Syrian army offensive encircled rebel fighters and a Turkish military post.
Erdogan to meet Putin over Syrian army offensive
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Friday (23 August) that Syrian army attacks in northwest Syria are causing a humanitarian crisis and threaten Turkey’s national security, the Turkish presidency said.
Syrian offensive puts Turkish troops and border plans in peril
Syrian army advances in northwest Syria are putting Turkish troops in the firing line and threaten Ankara's hopes of preventing a new wave of refugees on its southern border.