Russia holds memorial service for ambassador shot dead in Turkey
Russia has staged a sombre memorial ceremony for Andrei Karlov, the ambassador to Turkey shot dead in Ankara by a man shouting “Don’t forget Aleppo” and “Allahu Akbar”. Despite the killing of Moscow’s ambassador to Ankara, the two nations stand together in their joint peace plan for Syria Read more Russia and Turkey described the […]
How the assassination of Russia’s Turkish ambassador could derail Turkey’s hopes for Syria
The latest victim of Turkey’s climate of insecurity is Andrey Karlov, the Russian ambassador to Turkey. Karlov was assassinated Dec. 19 by a 22-year-old police officer. Disguised as a security guard in a black suit, the gunman stood behind Karlov as the ambassador was speaking in an art gallery just yards from the U.S. embassy. “Don’t forget […]
Erdogan Says Follower of Gulen, His Rival, Killed Russian Envoy
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey said on Wednesday that he had no doubt the assassin of Russia’s ambassador had belonged to the outlawed Turkish organization of Mr. Erdogan’s rival, Fethullah Gulen. The president’s assertion, 48 hours after the ambassador was gunned down by an off-duty police officer at an Ankara art gallery, essentially doubled […]
John Kerry Denies U.S. Linked to Killing of Russian Ambassador to Turkey
American officials are pushing back against suggestions the U.S. is connected to a political movement the Turkish president blames for the assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday claimed loyalists of Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish cleric who lives in Pennsylvania, are responsible for Monday’s slaying of Ambassador Andrey Karlov at […]
Israel has returned to Turkey in all its glory, says new envoy
The muezzin’s call echoes across Ankara. Five days a week, “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) calls emerge through the loudspeakers in the Turkish capital’s mosques. They are well heard in the Israeli Embassy and in the new ambassador’s home as well. For the Muslim country’s 80 million residents, it’s an inseparable part of life and […]
Russia, Turkey and an Assassination
For the moment, the most important thing to say about Monday’s dramatic assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey by a lone gunman is that it has not ruptured relations between the two countries. It might have, given past tensions and Turkey’s dismay at Vladimir Putin’s role in the devastating civil war in Syria. Fortunately, the […]
Russia, Turkey, Iran drawing up ‘roadmap’ to end Syrian crisis
Russia, Iran and Turkey say they are ready to help broker a peace deal to end the almost six-year-long conflict in Syria after meeting in Moscow. Foreign ministers from the three countries met for planned talks in the wake of the assassination of the Russian envoy to Turkey in Ankara on Monday. Meanwhile, in Syria, […]
Turkey, Russia and an Assassination: The Swirling Crises, Explained
Turkey and Russia, whose up-and-down relationship has helped shape the Syrian war and its related crises, shared a new trauma on Monday after an off-duty Turkish police officer assassinated Russia’s ambassador. The killing of Andrey G. Karlov in Ankara caused global alarm and raised questions about the larger consequences. On social media, many drew parallels […]
Turkey’s EU membership talks ‘must be stopped’
Austria wants the European Union to freeze membership talks with Turkey over Ankara’s massive crackdown following the failed coup. Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said that the EU “must at least freeze the accession negotiations”. He said: “It is wrong to continue accession negotiations as if nothing negative has happened in Turkey in the last […]
Turkey’s Erdogan: Israel restricting Muslim worship
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey accused Israel of restricting Muslim worship while calling on all Muslims to embrace the Palestinian cause and protect Jerusalem. Erdogan made the call to Muslims on Tuesday during public remarks at the Symposium of Jerusalem Platform in Istanbul. A Turkish government document sent to JTA summarized his remarks. […]