February 25, 2026
Yesterday, February 24, marked the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began Europe’s bloodiest conflict since the Second World War. Tomorrow, the Iranian and US delegations will meet again in Geneva. The question is whether the meeting will be followed by another round of talks or US strikes against Iran, in other words, another Middle East war.
Continue readingFebruary 18, 2026
The 62nd Munich Security Conference took place from February 13 to 15, 2026. With the war in Ukraine and strains in transatlantic relations, the conference attracted global attention. Starting with Chancellor Merz, as the leader of the host country, many other European leaders, Secretary of State Rubio, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi addressed the meeting. All Western participants who delivered remarks agreed that the so-called “international rules-based order” has ceased to exist. They also agreed that if there had been a unipolar moment following the collapse of the USSR, with the rise of China, that too was over.
Continue readingFebruary 9, 2026
Only a few years ago, the “rules-based international order” was the northern star of American foreign policy, a recurrent theme in policy statements by senior officials of the Biden administration.
In an interview with Andrea Mitchell of MSNBC on May 6, 2021, Secretary of State Blinken said, “… we are determined to uphold the so-called rules-based international order that we’ve invested so much in over so many decades and that has been good for us and good for the world, and I think even good for China.”[i] (emphasis added)
Continue readingFebruary 2, 2026
On September 29, 2025, the White House announced President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict.[i] The first phase of the ceasefire came into effect on October 10.
On November 17, 2025, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2803 (2025).[ii]
Continue readingJanuary 26, 2026
The US-Israel-led Western project to remake the Middle East started with the invasion of Iraq and continued with the regime change project in Libya, followed by Syria. In December 2024, the HTS seized the capital Damascus unopposed after a lightning advance that sent President Assad to Russia after a 13-year civil war and six decades of family rule.
Continue readingJanuary 19, 2026
The anti-regime protests in Iran were the top development of global attention over the past weeks. In the background was the nature of the Iranian regime, its controversial and confrontational regional outreach, which, to a large extent, resulted from the US invasion of Iraq, the Syrian conflict, regional rivalries, and the failure of the Iran nuclear deal. The last one compelled me to look back at the past.
Continue readingJanuary 12, 2026
The abduction of President Maduro and his being brought, handcuffed, to New York shocked the world. Yet President Trump’s press conference about Operation Absolute Resolve, American military might, and plans for Venezuelan oil was an even greater shock. During the past week, the US President has continued to stun the world, particularly Washington’s NATO allies.
Continue readingJanuary 7, 2026
With the US attack on Venezuela, Gaza and Ukraine have moved down the global agenda. Previously, there was a seesaw relationship between the two. When violence or “peace efforts” in one attracted attention, the other faded into the background. During the past week, they were hardly mentioned. Yet they are still with us, and the world does not need new reminders.
Continue readingJanuary 5, 2026
Saturday’s attack on Venezuela, the abduction of President Maduro, and his being brought, handcuffed, to New York was a shock to the world. This was a brazen violation of international law. Moreover, President Trump’s press conference about Operation Absolute Resolve and the future must have been a second, and even a greater shock.
Continue readingDecember 22, 2025
Last Friday, European Union leaders, after having failed to reach a consensus on using frozen Russian assets, decided to provide Ukraine with a 90-billion-euro loan over the next two years.
“We committed, we delivered,” said European Council President António Costa. “At the same time, we gave a mandate to the Commission to continue working on the Reparation Loan based on Russian immobilized assets. On top of that, we have agreed to roll over our sanctions against Russia.”
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Diplomatic Opinion - Ali Tuygan 