Black Sea

Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ‘Decapitation Strike’ on Turkey’s Opposition Party

Now seeking a fourth term in office, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is moving quickly to disarm the Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Turkey’s Maritime Strategy Heightens the Risk of a New Eastern Mediterranean Crisis

Ankara’s New Legislative Initiative May Appear Technical or Bureaucratic, but It Represents a Calculated Escalation by Erdoğan

KMT Risks Missing the Lessons of the Wars in Ukraine and Iran

Taiwan's opposition Kuomintang is poised to pass a defense budget that falls short of the lessons wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have made unmistakably clear on drones, layered air defense, and offensive deterrence. With the 2026 and 2028 elections approaching, can it afford to keep signaling weakness on the issue that matters most?

Syria focuses on diplomacy amid Iran war

On April 9, Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan al Shaibani traveled to Turkey, where he met with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. It was Damascus’s second meeting with...

Georgia’s Turn Toward China’s Financial System

Georgia, once Washington’s closest partner in the Caucasus region, is strengthening its economic ties with Beijing. Four Georgian banks have applied to join China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System...

Turkish foreign minister warns of nuclear arms race if Iran gets the bomb

On February 9, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan suggested that Turkey would begin developing nuclear weapons should Iran obtain them. During a televised interview with CNN Turk, Fidan warned that...

Ukraine Strikes Russia’s ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker in Mediterranean

Latest Developments First Claimed Strike in International Waters: Ukraine’s SBU intelligence service claimed that Ukrainian drones struck and critically damaged a Russian “shadow fleet” oil tanker...

Putin Threatens Continued Armed Force Against Ukraine if Demands Are Not Met Through Negotiations

‘Little Pigs’: Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened to continue using force to achieve Moscow’s objectives in Ukraine if its demands are not granted through negotiations....

Maritime Protection of Taiwan’s Energy Vulnerability

Georgian PM’s Visit to China Highlights Beijing’s Growing Footprint in South Caucasus

China is a “role model for modernization” and a “champion of peace,” Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze declared during a visit to Shanghai in early November, where the two countries signed...

Georgian Dream’s Power Grab Sets Stage to Outlaw Opposition

The Republic of Georgia continues its democratic backslide under Georgian Dream, the country’s authoritarian ruling party, which is sympathetic to Beijing, Moscow, and Tehran and antagonistic to Washington...

U.S. Must Stand with Georgian People Against Anti-Western Regime

Tens of thousands rallied in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on October 4-5 to protest local elections in which the country’s increasingly authoritarian ruling party, Georgian Dream, claimed victory....

Armenia–Azerbaijan deal worries Iran

Washington brokered an agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan on August 8 aimed at opening a transit corridor through the South Caucasus. The new agreement replaces the original Zangezur...

Deterrence Amid Rising Tensions

Preventing CCP Aggression on Taiwan

A ‘Reverse Kissinger’ would be a fool’s errand

Vladimir Putin’s interests align with those of Xi Jinping

Turkey’s Military Presence in Syria is a Threat to Israel

Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, received a warm welcome at the Antalya Diplomatic Forum in Turkey on April 11, where his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, lambasted Israel as a “terrorist...

‘Before Negotiations…Come To See’: Zelensky Urges Trump to Visit Ukraine

Latest Developments Civilians Celebrating Palm Sunday Killed: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky invited President Donald Trump to visit Ukraine to see Russia’s atrocities for himself during...

‘When Your Friends Have Bad Relations’: Azerbaijan Mediates Syria Deconfliction Talks Between Israel and Turkey

Agreed to Continue Discussions: Seeking to avoid “undesirable incidents,” Israel and Turkey held the first round of discussions in Azerbaijan on April 9 to create deconfliction...

Arsenal of Democracy

Arming Taiwan, Ukraine, and Israel While Strengthening the U.S. Industrial Base

How to Secure the Black Sea During a Russia-Ukrainian Ceasefire

After Ukraine and Russia’s agreement to a Black Sea ceasefire as part of broader talks being brokered by the United States in Saudi Arabia, the next step is to design a coalition maritime force...