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EU lawmakers on Thursday gave the green light to a series of proposals aimed at finally ending years of standoff over how to manage migration, an issue that has provoked one of the bloc’s biggest political crises. The move comes amid a spike in both legal and illegal migration across Europe. The question now is whether EU countries can finally reform their creaking asylum system before...

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On Wednesday the Supreme Court ruled that the Turkish state-owned Halkbank remains subject to criminal prosecution in US courts for fraud, money laundering, and sanctions offenses related to the bank’s alleged participation “in a multibillion-dollar scheme to evade US sanctions on Iran.” The case has strained US-Turkish relations. Jonathan Schanzer, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’...

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About a week ago the US imposed sanctions on Turkish entities it said violated US export controls and helped Russia's war effort. This is part of ongoing efforts to “cut off more of the international assets and finance channels still connecting Moscow’s economy to global trade and finance.” Expert Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to look into why this move is significant, and break down how the...

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On Monday the Biden's administration notified Congress of the planned sale to Turkey of avionics software upgrades for its current fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft, a deal valued at up to $259 million. The deal, which would mark the first military equipment sale to Turkey in years, moved ahead after leaders of U.S. congressional committees gave informal approval. Petros Kasfikis, the Washington...

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What will the impact on Turkey’s foreign policy be should Kemal Kilicdaroglu and the Turkish opposition manage to unseat President Erdogan in the upcoming elections in May? Some observers envision a quick reversal of Erdogan’s anti-Western approach, while others warn that we might see a striking degree of continuity. A look at the opposition’s record and platform suggests something in between...

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Greece’s Parliament voted on Tuesday to ban the extreme-right Greeks-National Party from running in the upcoming elections, aiming to block its members linked to the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn criminal organization from entering parliament. The decision comes ahead of what could be a tight race between the ruling New Democracy and opposition Syriza parties. Nektaria Stamouli, Politico’s Athens-based...

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Egypt’s foreign minister was just in Athens, meeting with both Prime Minister Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister Dendias. The visit put the spotlight on the Greek-Egyptian relationship as both countries look to further strengthen their strategic ties, including on energy, and on regional partnerships such as the East Med Gas Forum and the trilateral between Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt. The visit...

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The upcoming elections in Turkey are ones where the fate of Turkey — as well as the nature of its relations with the world — will be affected for the years to come. That’s the argument Prof. Cengiz Aktar makes in his latest op-ed that explores why, given these stakes, Turkish President Erdogan will leave nothing to chance. Prof. Cengiz Aktar joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the reasons he...

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This weekend missiles from a drone nearly hit a US convoy carrying American personnel and Mazlum Kobane, a top American ally in the fight against the Islamic State and the commander in chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces. Kobane said he was the target of an assassination, while the Pentagon said the strikes “directly threatened the safety of US personnel” working to defeat IS. Turkey is...

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One of Turkish President Erdogan’s most prominent political opponents, Selahattin Demirtaş, has spoken out from prison to the Financial Times, urging Turkey’s opposition to seize what he said is its best chance yet to defeat Erdogan. Selahattin Demirtaş - who led the Peoples’ Democratic party (HDP), Turkey’s third-largest political group, before he was jailed in 2016 - also stressed that the...

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Undecided voters are expected to play a key role in Greece’s national elections on May 21 as their percentage remains high - above 16 percent according to the latest polls. The new polls also show that the possibility of calling new elections remains strong, as the chances of polls leading to a single-party government or the formation of a coalition government seem remote. Panos Koliastasis, an...

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Greece’s economic performance was in the spotlight again this week as Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe was in Athens to meet with Prime Minister Mitsotakis and to participate in the “Resilience, Progress, Perspective” conference on the Greek economy. The Eurogroup President highlighted Greece’s economic progress pointing out that its growth is above the euro area average while inflation is...

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Finland became NATO’s 31st member on Tuesday, marking a major shift in Europe’s security landscape and a setback for Russia's Vladimir Putin. Until late last week, Turkey had maintained a block on Finland’s membership bid, and is still keeping Sweden - which is also seeking NATO membership - in limbo. Expert Max Bergmann joins Thanos Davelis to explain why this moment is significant for NATO,...

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Erdogan has been on a charm offensive, working to “reset” ties with countries in the region - ties he effectively torpedoed over the last decade or so. While Erdogan wants a “reset” and “rapprochement” with countries like Egypt, Israel, the US, and even Syria, to end Turkey’s regional isolation, there will be a price to pay. The question is whether Erdogan - or the opposition should it win the...

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With a relative calm taking hold in the Aegean between Greece and Turkey, Athens is turning its focus to the Western Balkans. Here Greece is looking to play an active role in resolving disputes in the region, such as between Serbia and Kosovo, and facilitating the full integration of the Western Balkans into both the EU and NATO. Greece’s relations with Albania also fall under this agenda. As...

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Greek authorities foiled an Iranian-backed terrorist attack on Jews and Israelis in Athens earlier this week with Mossad’s assistance, which helped identify the connection between the local terror cell in Greece and Iran’s broader global terror operations. Jonathan Schanzer, the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Senior Vice President for Research with an expertise on terror financing and...

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Greece is officially heading to elections on May 21st. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made the much anticipated announcement on Tuesday, officially kicking off the campaign season. Mitsotakis has called on Greeks to compare his administration with the previous Syriza government in terms of its handling of the economy, foreign policy, and Greece’s image abroad. Opinion polls show his party,...

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Since the tragic earthquakes in Turkey it appears that a sense of calm is prevailing in the Aegean - at least for the moment - that has led to an improvement in ties between Greece and Turkey and a decrease in threats and provocations from Ankara. This is raising the question in diplomatic circles over the possibility that this moratorium on tensions could lead to substantive dialogue following...

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It’s now been a few weeks since China brokered an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran to normalize relations. The deal - and China’s role in it - shocked many countries in the region, including the US, and is already having a ripple effect across the Middle East. Dr. Theodoros Tsakiris, an associate professor of geopolitics and energy policy at the University of Nicosia, joins Thanos...

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We’re heading to the US Congress on today’s episode, where Senator Menendez once again caught everyone’s attention while questioning Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week when he sharply criticized Turkey. Representative David Cicilline also had a noteworthy exchange with Secretary Blinken in the House, asking what steps the Biden Administration is taking to ensure that US weapons are not...

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