Month: May 2023

Євросоюз

Moldova Intensifies Push to Join EU

Moldova on Thursday hosts a symbolic summit of EU leaders where Moldovan leaders hope to push their country’s longstanding bid for integration into the European Union. That effort has fervent supporters and opponents, both internal and external. Marcus Harton narrates this report from Ricardo Marquina in Chisinau, Moldova. …

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Євросоюз

European Leaders Head to Moldova for Symbolic Summit on Ukraine’s Doorstep

More than 40 European leaders plan to meet in Moldova on Thursday in a show of support for the former Soviet republic and neighboring Ukraine as Kyiv prepares to launch a counteroffensive against occupying Russian forces.  The gathering of the EU’s 27 member states and 20 other European countries at a castle deep in Moldovan wine country will touch on a range of strategic issues and launch a new EU partnership mission in the country. But the focus will be on a symbolic show of unity on Ukraine’s doorstep.  “If you sit in Moscow and see 47 countries in your …

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Євросоюз

Ankara Could Get F16s but US-Turkey Ties Remain Fraught

Aiming to secure support for Sweden’s bid to join NATO, U.S. President Joe Biden signaled a transactional approach in his engagement with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The newly reelected Turkish leader has been one of the most consequential yet complicated members of the transatlantic military alliance.    Biden spoke with Erdogan on Monday to congratulate him on winning his third presidential term and said the two had discussed the issue of Sweden’s NATO accession and Turkey’s request to overhaul and expand its fleet of American-made F-16 fighter jets.    “He still wants to work on something on the F-16s. I told him …

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Євросоюз

 Turkey to Investigate Media Outlets Over Election Coverage 

Turkey’s broadcasting watchdog on Tuesday announced it is investigating six opposition TV channels for “insulting the public” through coverage of Sunday’s presidential election runoff. The Radio and Television Supreme Council, or RTUK, said viewers had complained about election coverage, but did not provide specific examples.  One of the channels under investigation —Tele 1— said on its website that the action shows the “government’s censorship device is at work.” The inquiry comes two days after President Tayyip Erdogan of the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, won the second round of the presidential election on Sunday.   Assaults on press freedom bookended this …

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Євросоюз

Taliban Call for Stop to Afghan Brain Drain

The Taliban have called on Western countries to stop evacuating and resettling educated and skilled Afghans abroad, saying the practice hurts Afghanistan. Boasting about improved security in the war-ravaged country, Taliban leaders say all Afghans, including those who had worked for the previous Afghan government, are safe at home and can live and work freely. “The world should also listen to this message that they should not open [immigration] cases for Afghans under the impression that their lives are at risk here,” Amir Khan Muttaqi, Taliban acting foreign minister, said on Tuesday. “They should not hurt Afghanistan’s talents, Afghanistan’s scientific …

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