Vladimir Putin used a rare visit to Moscow by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to talk up the Kremlin's potential to help broker a political settlement to the crisis as he tried to show the West Russia has become a major player in the Middle East.

• Date: 21.10.2015  |  Published on EGF: 21.10.2015  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Turkey asked the European Union for 3 billion euros on Thursday, easier travel to the EU for its citizens and diplomatic favors in exchange for helping stem the flow of Syrian refugees to Europe, EU officials and diplomats said after talks in Ankara.

• Date: 15.10.2015  |  Published on EGF: 15.10.2015  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

China said on Wednesday it had no plans to send military ships to Syria to fight with Russian forces after reports in overseas media that it was planning to do so.

• Date: 14.10.2015  |  Published on EGF: 14.10.2015  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Turkey has warned the United States and Russia it will not tolerate Kurdish territorial gains by Kurdish militia close to its frontiers in north-western Syria, two senior officials said.

• Date: 13.10.2015  |  Published on EGF: 13.10.2015  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Turkey's government said on Monday Islamic State was the prime suspect in suicide bombings that killed at least 97 people in Ankara, but opponents vented anger at President Tayyip Erdogan at funerals, universities and courthouses.

• Date: 12.10.2015  |  Published on EGF: 12.10.2015  |  Security  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Saudi Arabia's defense minister on Sunday, in Moscow's biggest attempt so far to reach out to enemies of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad since Russia joined the conflict with air strikes.

• Date: 12.10.2015  |  Published on EGF: 11.10.2015  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Turkey is targeting Islamic State in investigations of a double suicide bombing in Ankara that killed up to 128 people, officials said on Sunday, while opponents of President Tayyip Erdogan blamed him for the worst such attack in Turkish history.

• Date: 12.10.2015  |  Published on EGF: 11.10.2015  |  Security  |  from http://www.reuters.com/

Turkey urged its NATO allies on Thursday to keep up missile defenses along its Syrian border, after Germany and the United States said they would press on with plans to withdraw Patriot batteries despite worries about Russian actions in the area

• Date: 08.10.2015  |  Published on EGF: 08.10.2015  |  External Relations  |  from http://www.reuters.com/