Türkiye and the Levant

International pressure is mounting on Israel amid its renewed military operation in the Gaza strip, as both the United Kingdom and the European Union announced measures distancing themselves from the country on Tuesday. The United Kingdom paused trade negotiations with Israel and sanctioned West Bank settlers, as Britain’s top diplomat slammed Israel’s operation in Gaza as “morally unjustifiable” and “wholly disproportionate.” Meanwhile, the European Union announced that it would review its relationship with Israel, with the EU’s foreign policy chief calling the situation on the ground in Gaza “catastrophic.”

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a large-scale prisoner exchange but failed to reach a breakthrough during their first direct peace talks since 2022, held in Istanbul without either Vladimir Putin or Volodymyr Zelensky. Sitting down under pressure from the US president, Donald Trump, Ukraine had pushed for a 30-day ceasefire before the talks. Moscow rejected this, appearing to stick to its maximalist demands, including sweeping restrictions on Ukrainian sovereignty.