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The European Union is facing a severe crisis marked by unfulfilled promises of democracy, equal exchange, and shared prosperity. The situation is particularly dire for some EU nations, with Greece, according to a recent Financial Times report, on the brink of becoming the poorest member of the EU. Despite Bulgaria currently holding that position, its economic trajectory is set to overtake that of its southern neighbor…

As a country at the crossroads of three continents (Asia, Africa and Europe), Turkey remains a key regional player and has a fairly active diplomatic policy. Of course, not all of Ankara’s foreign policy doctrines declared over the past 10-15 years have delighted its neighbours. In particular, when it comes to neo-Ottomanism and Turkey’s intention to restore its former influence in the post-Ottoman space, almost most (if not all) of its geographical neighbours that were formerly part of the Ottoman state are concerned about Ankara’s desire to do so. At the same time…

At the NATO summit in Vilnius in July, it was as if a breakthrough had been made in hastening Sweden’s entrance to the North Atlantic Alliance. As previously disclosed, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated on the eve and during the summit that Ankara would be willing to expedite the consideration of Sweden’s NATO membership and link its decision to a similar procedure for Turkey’s EU entrance. In other words, whether satisfied with Stockholm’s approach to toughening anti-terrorist legislation and treatment of Kurdish separatists who have taken refuge…