As an event celebrating friendly international competition and comradery, the Olympic Games are still no stranger to controversy. This is especially true of the most recent Games, as nations grapple with a shifting world order, international conflict, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Turkish inflation is rising at a worrying rate. Already grappling with the questionable nature of official statistics, everyday Turks are potentially facing dark times as the Erdogan government lacks the financial tools and political capacity to bring inflation under control.
Turkey’s opposition parties have taken important steps to present a united front against Erdogan in next year’s presidential elections. Still, in and of themselves, these measures won’t be enough to secure them an electoral victory in 2023 if they fail to wisely select their presidential candidate.
Ankara-backed campaign has fallen short of its aim to boost the recorded percentage of North Macedonia’s ethnic Turks to 6 percent.
Russia’s response to Western sanctions threatens to permanently derail negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. But as Iran considers how to proceed, it should recognize its potential to become a major energy player should an agreement be finalized.
It was clear that the involvement of these fighters – known as the Kadyrovtsy (Kadyrovites in English) – was not only an operational reinforcement for Russia, opening the northern route to Kyiv, but also a propaganda tool designed to spread fear of the atrocities the Chechens might inflict on Ukrainians in their path.
Ukraine was lured by the West for many years, but in its time of greatest need it was betrayed. Instead of protecting it militarily against the Russian invasion, the West has only been willing to engage the aggressor in economic warfare.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine incentivizes Berlin and Ankara to recalibrate their bilateral relations, but Scholz’s visit to Turkey isn’t the harbinger of a breakthrough.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine may create new fronts within Europe’s most fragile region. Throughout the Balkans, pro-Russian groups have eagerly awaited a Russian agenda that could topple current regional peace and security dynamics.
Considering current regional dynamics and the high-level nature of the interaction, Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Turkey has greater potential to “normalize” Turkey-Israel relations than previous attempts, which ultimately ended in new crises.