The EU's extreme nonchalance (a euphemism) has created a field day for those opposing reforms and wanting to steer Turkey's future away from the political and institutional West. It has become very difficult to argue that the EU is in any position to even conditionally deliver.

Will be critical to watch for the next few weeks 👇

Want to gauge the Middle East's danger level?
Check Crisis Group's Iran-US/Israel Trigger List-now packed with unprecedented flashy red points.

🚨Still, further Israel-Iran escalation is not inevitable. All sides are now in a position to step back and they should do so.

Belgrade is Europe's largest city without a subway. Unfortunately, it is also Europe's largest city without a wastewater treatment plant and a proper sewage system. In Belgrade, the feces of 1.7 million people and all kinds of industrial effluents reach the Danube untreated. 🧵⬇️

Our new commentary Crisis Group offers ideas about how diplomats could get better results from talks with the Taliban. So far, negotiations with the Taliban have failed to make their regime more politically inclusive or respectful of women’s rights. 1/ crisisgroup.org/asia/south-asi…

'Iranian decision-makers, having already made one major gamble, should not double down if their efforts to deter Israel fail to forestall a limited response.'

My recommendation to EU policy makers. Take a look at the timeline of Turkish experts that are known to have genuinely supported Turkey's rapprochement with the EU. What do you see after the EUCO statement?

The Turkish idiom “Kaş yaparken göz çıkarmak” which translates into English as “the cure is worse than the ailment” describes the EU Council’s conclusions on Turkey quite well!

This trajectory can only produce lose-lose outcomes, even for those states opposed to progress on🇹🇷-🇪🇺

It really is beyond comprehension. It is understandable that the EU would want to demonstrate its solidarity with one of its own. But the agreed formula is totally counterproductive on all counts.

Accusations against regional powers like Qatar for its 'closeness to Hamas', or Turkey for its ties to Putin & the Taliban,while asking them to mediate with the same groups, clearly show that the West must come to terms with how the centre of gravity in mediation has long shifted

🇹🇷🇪🇺Great to see Türkiye is on the agenda in the special European Council summit on 17-18 April.

Hoping things will move in a positive direction as Crisis Group (alongside many others) has been advocating for.

See🧵below based on our Oct 2023 piece:👇

crisisgroup.org/europe-central…

Given our recent work on the mental health crisis in Syria, combined with the distress we can all feel in and around Gaza, I wanted to share some very practical observations on the psychological effects of conflict, through the lens of 'trauma'. 🧵

NEW: EU- #Turkiye relations back on agenda at EU leaders' meeting this week after few months absence

Potential outcomes in Brussels include:
- Reinstate economy, energy + transport high level dialogues
- Invite Turkish FM to informal meetings of EU FMs

consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/eu…

CONFLICT ALERT | Iran-Israel “Shadow War” Risks Spinning Out of Control

Iran and Israel are trading threats. It is imperative that both sides avoid further escalation or an all-out Middle East conflagration could result.

crisisgroup.org/middle-east-no…

Turkey will restrict exports of a wide range of products to Israel, including steel and jet fuel, until a ceasefire is declared in Gaza, the Turkish Trade Ministry said, in Ankara's first significant measure against Israel after six months of war reut.rs/43TXr84

COMING SOON | Stopping Famine in Gaza

This new Crisis Group report offers an in-depth study of the conditions that have put Gaza on
the edge of famine.

NEW: Turkey revokes visa exemption for Tajikistan citizens following the Moscow attack and church attack in Istanbul earlier this year.

Tajik citizens participated in both attacks as they were claimed by ISIS