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Turkey steps up as Europe's indispensable and uncomfortable defence partner

26 April 2026 at 15:53
Europe is turning to Turkey to fill the security vacuum left by an increasingly unreliable United States. But as Nato's secretary-general was praising Ankara's growing military role this week, the European Commission president was placing Turkey in the same bracket as China and Russia. The contradiction points to a dilemma that is only going to deepen.

Armenia election result revives hopes of reopening border with Turkey

13 June 2026 at 05:24
Nikol Pashinyan’s sweeping re-election in Armenia has raised fresh hopes that the border with Turkey could finally reopen after three decades of closure. The Armenian prime minister campaigned on restoring ties with Turkey and Azerbaijan, as well as moving Armenia closer to Europe – but constitutional reform remains a major obstacle.

Chernobyl, 40 years on: the disaster that triggered the downfall of a superpower

26 April 2026 at 16:30
As radiation spread across Europe in April 1986, so did the truth about a political system built on silence. Four decades on, RFI spoke to history and politics professor Oleg Kobtzeff about how the Chernobyl nuclear disaster exposed the USSR's culture of secrecy, and was among the catalysts for its collapse.

Turkey pushes for European missile defence deal amid Iran tensions

11 April 2026 at 11:38
Following several Iranian missile strikes targeting Turkey, Ankara is accelerating its efforts to create its own missile defence system dubbed the “steel dome”. According to reports, it is in talks to procure Europe's latest anti-missile system. But Ankara’s aspirations are unnerving Israel – as well as its neighbours, Greece and Cyprus.

Turkey courts Libya's rival factions in bid to further Mediterranean ambitions

23 May 2026 at 16:15
In a bold move by Ankara, Turkey this week brought together Libya’s two rival militaries for international exercises. While firmly supporting the Tripoli-based regime, Turkey is now extending an olive branch to the Benghazi administration, aiming to steady Libya and broaden its sway across the region.

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