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EU to push for sanctions on Israel ministers and suspend bilateral support

EU to push for sanctions on Israel ministers and suspend bilateral support

The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen stated she would push to sanction "extremist" Israeli ministers and curb trade ties over Gaza, as she warned famine should not be used as a "weapon of war". Addressing the European Parliament on 10 September in the annual State of the Union, von der Leyen lamented that divisions among member states were holding back a European response but insisted the European Commission "will do all that it can on its own". "What is happening in Gaza has shaken the conscience of the world. People killed while begging for food. Mothers holding lifeless babies. These images are simply catastrophic," von der Leyen said. The German politician said the Commission would put its bilateral support to Israel on hold, stopping all payments, but without affecting work with civil society groups and Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial.
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Opinion
What role for the EU in the post-Washington South Caucasus?

What role for the EU in the post-Washington South Caucasus?

The agreements reached in the US-mediated summit of the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders in Washington on August 8 are poised to fundamentally reshape the region's future. Particularly, the deal concerning the Zangezur corridor – rebranded as the “Trump Route for Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) – holds significant geopolitical importance. If implemented, the TRIPP agreement would deal a severe blow to the regional standing of Russia and Iran. More importantly, it would pave the way for a strategic U.S. presence in this critical geography. This outcome represents a success that few would have predicted for the United States, especially for the Trump administration, given the region's notoriously complex and volatile geopolitics.

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Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign peace memorandum in Washington

Armenia and Azerbaijan to sign peace memorandum in Washington

Azerbaijan and Armenia are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding in Washington on Friday 8 August, committing to the pursuit of peace, according to regional sources who spoke to Middle East Eye (MEE). The move commits the two countries to a future peace deal amid increasing US influence in the South Caucasus. The sources said that US President Donald Trump will host Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House for the signing ceremony.
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China dabbles in Horn of Africa but its ability to bring peace to the region is minimal

China dabbles in Horn of Africa but its ability to bring peace to the region is minimal

Beijing’s special envoy for the Horn of Africa, Xue Bing, told a regional conference attended by eight governments from the region that ‘all parties should engage in dialogue’ to achieve common prosperity. In the meeting China reaffirmed its support for peaceful development in the Horn of Africa, saying it would “actively engage” in regional initiatives to promote the concept. But analysts and observers are very skeptical. Whilst China might dabble with the region and its many problems, it ability to impact the situation, and particularly contribute to resolving the conflicts that plague the region is minimal. In his speech at the Kampala Conference, Xue said Beijing would offer military assistance and training, as well as helping to develop the region’s infrastructure and boosting trade. “The world today faces overlapping risks and challenges that threaten peace and development in the Horn of Africa, and all parties should engage in dialogue and cooperation to maintain universal security and achieve common prosperity,” Xue told the event, according to the Chinese foreign ministry. Xue outlined further areas of cooperation, including counterterrorism and landmine eradication, while stressing China’s support for “African-led solutions” through platforms such as the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development.
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Opinion
Opinion: Saudi diplomacy believes it has achieved what half a century of summitry and rhetoric failed to deliver

Opinion: Saudi diplomacy believes it has achieved what half a century of summitry and rhetoric failed to deliver

"Saudi diplomacy has achieved in 18 months what half a century of summitry and rhetoric failed to deliver'' writes Ali Shihabi in the influential Saudi newspaper, Arab News. "Over the past 18 months, Riyadh has quietly delivered a masterclass in diplomacy, steadily reshaping how Western capitals approach the Palestinian file", the writer says. "The Kingdom has pursued a strategy rooted in hard-nosed pragmatism: Washington’s strategic umbrella over Israel will not fold under fiery speeches or social media storms. Rather than waste energy on theatrics, Saudi Arabia has opted for a patient, cumulative approach — chipping away at Israel’s aura of effortless Western legitimacy until the political calculus inside G7 capitals begins to shift. It may feel slow to the impatient observer, but in a world that rewards persistence over noise, this is how real influence is built." We republish the article in full here.
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Analysis
Analysis: Armenia's July application to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization underscores its commitment to a diversified foreign policy

Analysis: Armenia's July application to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization underscores its commitment to a diversified foreign policy

In July 2025, Armenia officially applied to become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), marking a significant step, underscoring its commitment to a diversified foreign policy amidst shifting regional dynamics. In this analysis, Johnny Melikian, Senior Research Fellow at Orbelli Centre in Yerevan, discusses the reasons behind Armenia's move. This application is more than a simple institutional maneuver, he argues; “it encapsulates Yerevan’s strategic search for geopolitical stability, economic partnerships, and regional relevance in an increasingly complex Eurasian theater.” As Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed during a press conference on July 16, the move reflects Armenia’s pursuit of a balanced and balancing foreign policy amidst shifting global and regional dynamics.
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Opinion
Armenia-Azerbaijan Transit Requires Bilateral and Regional Dialogue

Armenia-Azerbaijan Transit Requires Bilateral and Regional Dialogue

Uncertainty has again emerged along the Armenia-Iran border as the risk of the long-standing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan turning into further geopolitical competition continues. What was once a post-war localised disagreement over territory and sovereignty is now entangled in a web of regional interests and strategic manoeuvring. Increasingly, peace risks being shaped less by the needs of local populations but more by the calculations of distant capitals. External interference has rather delayed progress almost five years since the 2020 war. If peace is the objective, then the region needs inclusive not selective diplomacy and definitely not new geopolitical fault lines.
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Azerbaijan hosts Syrian-Israeli ministerial meeting to discuss security situation in Southern Syria

Azerbaijan hosts Syrian-Israeli ministerial meeting to discuss security situation in Southern Syria

A Syrian-Israeli ministerial meeting is taking place on Thursday 31 July in Baku to discuss security matters in southern Syria, a diplomat told AFP. The meeting between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer follows a similar meeting between the two ministers in Paris last week. It will take place after an unprecedented visit by al-Shaibani to Moscow on Thursday, added the diplomat, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter. Israel and Syria have technically been at war since 1948.
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Russia remains defiant over Trump threats

Russia remains defiant over Trump threats

Russian glide bombs and ballistic missiles struck a Ukrainian prison and a medical facility overnight as Russia’s relentless strikes killed at least 22 people across the country, officials said on Tuesday 29 July, despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to punish Russia with sanctions and tariffs unless it stops. Trump said on Monday he is giving Russian President Vladimir Putin 10 to 12 days to stop the killing in Ukraine after three years of war, moving up a 50-day deadline he had given the Russian leader two weeks ago. “I’m disappointed in President Putin,” Trump said during a visit to Scotland.
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Guterres Condemns the obliteration of Gaza as High-Level Conference on Palestine meets at UN Headquarters

Guterres Condemns the obliteration of Gaza as High-Level Conference on Palestine meets at UN Headquarters

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned both the 7 October Hamas attacks and what he described as the “obliteration” of Gaza, including mass civilian casualties, starvation and destruction of infrastructure. Guterres was addressing the  High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution that is being convened at the UN Headquarters in New York between 28 and 30 July. The UN chief urged world leaders to ensure the conference becomes a turning point for irreversible progress toward a two-State solution, calling it the only credible path to peace based on international law. Mandated by the General Assembly of the UN, the meeting features plenaries, working groups and interventions from senior UN officials and Member States.