Central Asia

Daily Memo: Russia-Belarus Drills, Russia-Turkey Talks

Sending a message. Russia and Belarus began the second stage of drills meant to train troops on the use of tactical nuclear weapons. The first stage started in Russia’s Southern Military District, which includes part of the Ukrainian border, on May 21 after certain Western leaders suggested they would consider getting more deeply involved in […]

Daily Memo: Azerbaijani Demands for Armenia, US Warns for Israel

New condition. Establishing peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia would require changes to the Armenian constitution, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at a meeting of...

Daily Memo: Uproar in Turkey, Drills in Syria

Turkish backlash. Clashes broke out in the Turkish parliament between lawmakers from the governing AKP party and the pro-Kurdish DEM party following the arrest...

Daily Memo: State of Russian Manufacturing, Turkish Forces in Syria

Russian business. Russia’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index rose to 54.4 points in May, up slightly from 54.3 in April. (A value above 50 points...

Daily Memo: Russia-Belarus Drills, Putin in Uzbekistan

Russian defense. Russia and Belarus began a joint air drill on Monday, part of efforts to improve air defense systems and coordination. Relatedly, the...

Daily Memo: Gazprom in Trouble, EU-Moldova Deal

Deepening cracks. The Russian government issued a decree instructing state-owned energy firm Gazprom not to pay dividends for 2023. Earlier this month, Gazprom reported...

Daily Memo: Plans for Postwar Gaza, British Naval Power

Keeping peace. The United States is calling on Arab states to join a postwar peacekeeping force in Gaza, according to the Financial Times. Washington...

Daily Memo: US Reaches Out to Benin, Georgia Refuses US Invite

Bolstering ties. The head of U.S. Africa Command, Gen. Michael Langley, is visiting Benin to strengthen relations with the West African country. The United...

Daily Memo: Turkey and Russia in Nagorno-Karabakh, Iranian Influence in Africa

Nagorno-Karabakh update. A joint Turkish-Russian monitoring center in Nagorno-Karabakh has closed, six months after Azerbaijan recaptured the region from ethnic Armenian forces. The center...

Daily Memo: Iran’s Presence in Syria, Blinken Visits China

Pulling back. Iran has reduced its presence in Syria following strikes widely attributed to Israel in recent months that hit Iranian targets in the...

Daily Memo: Iran Plans More Nuclear Plants, Russia Eyes African Ports

Atomic power. Iran plans to build more nuclear power plants to increase its generation capacity and ensure its national energy security, the head of...

Daily Memo: Erdogan Arrives in Baghdad, US to Leave Niger

Landmark trip. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Baghdad on Monday, the first visit to Iraq by a Turkish president in 13 years....

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