Strongmen in Turkey and Hungary Stall Unity in NATO and the E.U. – The New York Times

Russia benefits as Turkey slows down Swedish and Finnish applications to NATO and Hungary continues to block an E.U. embargo on Russian oil. BRUSSELS — Europe’s effort to stand up to Russia and Vladimir V. Putin, its president, is being slowed by two strongmen leaders insisting on the priority of their national interests and playing […]

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The Strongman Cometh – The Dispatch

Erdoğan’s view seems to represent a change of heart from earlier Turkish support for Finnish membership, conveyed to Niinisto in an April 4 phone call and in bilateral diplomatic contacts, not to mention Turkey’s traditional support for NATO’s enlargement since the end of the Cold War. The Turkish volte face reportedly has left diplomats at NATO headquarters in Brussels furious with the Turks, despite the public statements that all is well and the clear expectation that the alliance ultimately will move forward with Finnish and Swedish membership.

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Greek PM backs new NATO applicants as Turkey undermines alliance – The Jerusalem Post

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday following his meeting with US President Joe Biden on Monday. The important visit comes as Greco-American relations are reaching new heights. Greece is a positive and important member of NATO. Meanwhile, Turkey has threatened Sweden and Finland for seeking to join

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Why Erdoğan’s NATO Blackmail Is Subversion – Middle East Forum

Once again, Turkey is the odd one out in the NATO alliance. The country’s Islamist strongman, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is trying to turn what appears to be the most strategic move in NATO’s history into carpet-trading at Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. Erdoğan said on May 13 that his country is “not favorable” toward Finland and

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Greece seeks to join F-35 program as it lobbies against Turkey F-16 sale – DefenseNews

WASHINGTON — Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the White House and Congress this week to make his country’s case for acquiring the F-35 stealth fighter jet while lobbying against Turkey’s attempts to upgrade its aging fleet of F-16s and acquire additional aircraft. Not to be outdone, Turkish officials will visit Washington later this week

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Turkish Foreign Minister Faces Tough Questions in Washington – VOA

Istanbul — Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is due to meet Wednesday in Washington with Secretary of State Antony Blinken — the latest step in the process of repairing ties between the two NATO allies. The Turkish diplomat will have tough questions to answer when it comes to Turkey’s efforts to veto bids by Finland and

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Greek leader tells Congress democracy is tested by Russia | AP News

WASHINGTON (AP) — Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the U.S. Congress on Tuesday their shared belief in “freedom over tyranny, in democracy over authoritarianism” is being tested as he focused on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Mitsotakis used his address to a joint meeting of Congress to call out the “heroism of

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