Which are European Union candidate countries and what's their status now?

Devastating floods and heavy storms ravaged parts of Turkey. With more than 42 towns in North and central Turkey receiving bad weather warnings and around five people were reported dead over the weekend, however, now the struggle lies for residents to face the after effects of such a calamity.

Flash floods ravage parts of Turkey, around 5 deaths reported

Following concerns that Iranian agents are actively preparing assaults on Israelis in Istanbul, Israel's Foreign Minister, Yair Lapid, has urged citizens not to travel to Turkey unless it is "necessary" and to cancel any scheduled holidays there.

Israel urges nationals not to fly to Turkey post Iran attack

Security concerns raised by Turkey in its opposition to Finland's and Sweden's NATO membership applications are legitimate, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday during a visit to Finland.

"These are legitimate concerns. This is about terrorism, it's about weapons exports" , Stoltenberg told a joint news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto while visiting him at his summer residence in Naantali, Finland.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/double-standards-haunt-us-and-europe-in-nato-dispute-with-turkey-486083">Double standards haunt US and Europe in NATO dispute with Turkey</a>

Sweden and Finland applied to join the Western defence alliance last month, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But they have faced opposition from Turkey, which has accused them of supporting and harbouring Kurdish militants and other groups it deems terrorists.

Stoltenberg said Turkey was a key ally for the alliance due to its strategic location on the Black Sea between Europe and the Middle East, and cited the support it has provided to Ukraine since Russia sent troops into its neighbour on Feb. 24.

Watch |&nbsp;Baltops 2022: NATO allies take part in military drills in Baltic sea, Russia also holds drills

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Moscow calls its actions a "special military operation".

"We have to remember and understand that no NATO ally has suffered more terrorist attacks than Turkiye", Stoltenberg said, using the Turkish pronunciation of the country's name, as preferred by Turkey and its President Tayyip Erdogan.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japans-prime-minister-fumio-kishida-considers-joining-nato-summit-in-spain-report-485321">Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida considers joining NATO summit in Spain: Report</a>

Stoltenberg and Niinisto said talks with Turkey would continue but gave no indication of progress in the negotiations.

"The summit in Madrid was never a deadline", Stoltenberg said, referring to a NATO meeting in Madrid at the end of June.

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Security concerns raised by Turkey in its opposition to Finland's and Sweden's NATO membership applications are legitimate, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday during a visit to Finland.

Security concerns raised by Turkey in its opposition to Finland's and Sweden's NATO membership applications are legitimate, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Sunday during a visit to Finland. "These are legitimate concerns. This is about terrorism, it's about weapons exports" , Stoltenberg told a joint news conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto while visiting him at his summer residence in Naantali, Finland. Also read | Double standards haunt US and Europe in NATO dispute with Turkey Sweden and Finland applied to join the Western defence alliance last month, in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But they have faced opposition from Turkey, which has accused them of supporting and harbouring Kurdish militants and other groups it deems terrorists. Stoltenberg said Turkey was a key ally for the alliance due to its strategic location on the Black Sea between Europe and the Middle East, and cited the support it has provided to Ukraine since Russia sent troops into its neighbour on Feb. 24. Watch | Baltops 2022: NATO allies take part in military drills in Baltic sea, Russia also holds drills Moscow calls its actions a "special military operation". "We have to remember and understand that no NATO ally has suffered more terrorist attacks than Turkiye", Stoltenberg said, using the Turkish pronunciation of the country's name, as preferred by Turkey and its President Tayyip Erdogan. Also read | Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida considers joining NATO summit in Spain: Report Stoltenberg and Niinisto said talks with Turkey would continue but gave no indication of progress in the negotiations. "The summit in Madrid was never a deadline", Stoltenberg said, referring to a NATO meeting in Madrid at the end of June. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

NATO chief Stoltenberg says Turkey's security concerns are legitimate

A state-of-the-art port in Istanbul with an underground terminal, a celebrity chef's restaurant and a shopping centre, welcomes yet another 5,000-passenger cruise ship, bringing more cash to Turkey's struggling tourism industry.

Hit hard by Covid, Turkey's tourism sector could get a shot in the arm from the revenue generated at Galataport, which opened in 2021&nbsp;a year later than planned due to the pandemic.

The port could also provide a boost to an economy that has been weighed down by double-digit inflation and a currency in free fall, though the project has drawn criticism over the destruction of historical monuments and the potential environmental impact.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/double-standards-haunt-us-and-europe-in-nato-dispute-with-turkey-486083">Double standards haunt US and Europe in NATO dispute with Turkey</a>

Figen Ayan, chief port officer at Galataport, said "ships began to arrive one after the other" after the facility opened in October.&nbsp;

"Galataport has become the face of tourism," she told AFP.

The 20-story Costa Venezia vessel from Italy was taking passengers from an 11-day voyage to the Aegean Sea when it docked in Galataport, its gangway connecting directly to the futuristic underground customs terminal.

The port is home to a shopping centre, a hotel, cultural venues and a restaurant owned by Turkish butcher Nusret Gokce, better known as Salt Bae, the social media star who sprinkles salt on steaks in front of celebrity customers.

"Galataport Istanbul is much more than a cruise port," Ayan said.

High-spending passengers

Around 30 cruise ships have so far anchored at Galataport and 200 more are expected by the end of the year, which amounts to 450,000 passengers.&nbsp;

The pandemic caused havoc in the global cruise ship industry as vessels were hit by outbreaks and vessels were banned in several countries.

"Now we can say that we have left the pandemic behind and that the cruise sector, which is an important segment of tourism, has revived and is on the move," Ayan said.

The target is 1.5 million cruise passengers and 25 million visitors annually.

"If a regular tourist spends $62 daily, a cruise passenger spends $400. He spends up to eight times more in one day," she said.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;After Russia-Syria air strike simulation drills, Turkey gears up for offensive

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Environmental cost

The project also opened up a 1.2-kilometre (three-quarter-mile) coastline that had been closed to public use for 200 years.

But critics, including some urban planners and architects, say the gentrification of the area destroyed old neighbourhoods, with the shopping centre replacing a historical post office building, and also posed a risk to the environment.

Cruises threaten marine life, discharging large quantities of sewage and other waste, said Muharrem Balci, associate professor of biology at Istanbul University.

"The environmental cost of cruises is seven times higher than the financial return they provide," Balci told AFP.

"The consumption level of each traveller is higher than in the host cities, therefore, cruise tourism has the potential to create stress (for the environment) for the regions they visit."

Large ships were banned from Venice last year after years of warnings that the giant floating hotels risked causing irreparable damage to the lagoon city.

Burak Caliskan,&nbsp;country manager for MSC Cruises, said no such danger awaited Istanbul.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-foreign-minister-visits-turkey-to-discuss-ukraine-grain-exports-486080">Russian foreign minister visits Turkey to discuss Ukraine grain exports</a>

"We don't think Istanbul will face a similar situation. We don't have a city structure like Venice," he told AFP.&nbsp;

Caliskan also said newly built ships addressed environmental concerns.&nbsp;

"To give a few examples, the exhaust gases from the ships are filtered. The paints used on the ships have been completely changed. Paints that will not harm the sea are used," he said.&nbsp;

"We even have efforts to reduce the sound of the ships' engine so that while our ships are navigating in the open seas, they do not cause any disturbance to the living things, especially the whales."

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A state-of-the-art port in Istanbul with an underground terminal, a celebrity chef's restaurant and a shopping centre, welcomes yet another 5,000-passenger cruise ship, bringing more cash to Turkey's struggling tourism industry.

A state-of-the-art port in Istanbul with an underground terminal, a celebrity chef's restaurant and a shopping centre, welcomes yet another 5,000-passenger cruise ship, bringing more cash to Turkey's struggling tourism industry. Hit hard by Covid, Turkey's tourism sector could get a shot in the arm from the revenue generated at Galataport, which opened in 2021 a year later than planned due to the pandemic. The port could also provide a boost to an economy that has been weighed down by double-digit inflation and a currency in free fall, though the project has drawn criticism over the destruction of historical monuments and the potential environmental impact. Also read | Double standards haunt US and Europe in NATO dispute with Turkey Figen Ayan, chief port officer at Galataport, said "ships began to arrive one after the other" after the facility opened in October. "Galataport has become the face of tourism," she told AFP. The 20-story Costa Venezia vessel from Italy was taking passengers from an 11-day voyage to the Aegean Sea when it docked in Galataport, its gangway connecting directly to the futuristic underground customs terminal. The port is home to a shopping centre, a hotel, cultural venues and a restaurant owned by Turkish butcher Nusret Gokce, better known as Salt Bae, the social media star who sprinkles salt on steaks in front of celebrity customers. "Galataport Istanbul is much more than a cruise port," Ayan said. High-spending passengers Around 30 cruise ships have so far anchored at Galataport and 200 more are expected by the end of the year, which amounts to 450,000 passengers. The pandemic caused havoc in the global cruise ship industry as vessels were hit by outbreaks and vessels were banned in several countries. "Now we can say that we have left the pandemic behind and that the cruise sector, which is an important segment of tourism, has revived and is on the move," Ayan said. The target is 1.5 million cruise passengers and 25 million visitors annually. "If a regular tourist spends $62 daily, a cruise passenger spends $400. He spends up to eight times more in one day," she said. Watch | After Russia-Syria air strike simulation drills, Turkey gears up for offensive Environmental cost The project also opened up a 1.2-kilometre (three-quarter-mile) coastline that had been closed to public use for 200 years. But critics, including some urban planners and architects, say the gentrification of the area destroyed old neighbourhoods, with the shopping centre replacing a historical post office building, and also posed a risk to the environment. Cruises threaten marine life, discharging large quantities of sewage and other waste, said Muharrem Balci, associate professor of biology at Istanbul University. "The environmental cost of cruises is seven times higher than the financial return they provide," Balci told AFP. "The consumption level of each traveller is higher than in the host cities, therefore, cruise tourism has the potential to create stress (for the environment) for the regions they visit." Large ships were banned from Venice last year after years of warnings that the giant floating hotels risked causing irreparable damage to the lagoon city. Burak Caliskan, country manager for MSC Cruises, said no such danger awaited Istanbul. Also read | Russian foreign minister visits Turkey to discuss Ukraine grain exports "We don't think Istanbul will face a similar situation. We don't have a city structure like Venice," he told AFP. Caliskan also said newly built ships addressed environmental concerns. "To give a few examples, the exhaust gases from the ships are filtered. The paints used on the ships have been completely changed. Paints that will not harm the sea are used," he said. "We even have efforts to reduce the sound of the ships' engine so that while our ships are navigating in the open seas, they do not cause any disturbance to the living things, especially the whales." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Turkey bets on modern cruise hub to boost tourism

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan kicked off his re-election bid with a plan to invade Syria. Is Erdogan flexing his military muscles to hide his failing economic policies? What are his chances in 2023? Palki Sharma tells you.

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced to contest 2023 polls. He has been President since 2014. Watch this report.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to contest 2023 polls

The Neolithic archaeological site Göbekli Tepe is located in Turkey's Southeastern Anatolia region. The site, which dates from between 9500 and 8000 BCE in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic, consists of several enormous circular constructions supported by gigantic stone pillars.

Gobekli Tepe: World's oldest human Civilisation

Turkey is planning to launch an offensive in Northern Syria, this at a time when Russian and Syrian air forces hold giant air strike simulation drills across the country.

After Russia-Syria air strike simulation drills, Turkey gears up for offensive

Turkish defense ministers warned Russian counterpart that Turkiye would respond to moves aimed at disrupting stability in Northern Syria. This came after Russia and Syrian air forces held joint air strike simulation drills across Syria.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar warns Sergei Shoigu of Russia

Nearly 20 million tonnes of grain trapped in Ukraine’s warehouses. Several ‘grain elevators’ are scattered in a country that is world’s fifth-biggest wheat exporter. Why is Ukraine unable to export grain? Russian sealed off Black sea ports in Ukraine. This has affected grain export as no ship can enter or leave Ukraine.

Ukraine’s food grain problem explained: How Kyiv can resume export

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Turkish counterpart today for talks on the Ukrainian grains shipments which has been on hold due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Lavrov met Mevlut Cavusoglu in the Turkish capital in Ankara.

Russian foreign minister in Turkiye, Ukraine grain exports on agenda

US and European acquiescence in Turkey's long-standing refusal to honour Kurdish ethnic, cultural, and political rights has come home to roost with Turkish opposition to Finnish and Swedish NATO membership.

The opposition has sparked debates about Turkey's controversial place in the North Atlantic defense alliance.

Turkey’s detractors point to its problematic military intervention in Syria, relations with Russia, refusal to sanction Moscow, and alleged fuelling of tension in the eastern Mediterranean, calling the country’s NATO membership into question.

Its defenders note that Turkey, NATO’s second-largest standing military, is key to maintaining the alliance’s southern flank. Also, Turkey’s geography, population size, economy, military power, and cultural links to a Turkic world make it a critical link between Europe and Asia. In addition, Turkish drones have been vital in Ukraine's war with Russia, while Turkey has been a mediator in the conflict, albeit with limited success.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-foreign-minister-visits-turkey-to-discuss-ukraine-grain-exports-486080">Russian foreign minister visits Turkey to discuss Ukraine grain exports</a>

Kurdish rights hardly figure in the debates, and if they do, only as a prop for taking Turkey to task for its slide into authoritarianism.

An ethnic group spread across southeastern Turkey, northern Iraq, northern Syria, and western Iran, Kurds are seen at best as assets in the fight against the Islamic State and at worst a threat to Turkish security and territorial integrity. Turkey's estimated 16 million Kurds account for up to 20 per cent of the country's population.

Turkey, or Turkiye as it wants to be known going forward, has used the security argument to make its agreement to Swedish and Finnish NATO membership dependent on the two Nordic countries effectively accepting its definition of terrorism as including any national expression of Kurdish identity.

Turkey has demanded that Sweden and Finland extradite 33 people, some of whom are Swedish or Finnish nationals, because of their alleged support for the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) or exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds responsible for a failed military coup in 2016.

Turkey accuses the two Nordic countries of allowing the PKK to organize on their territory. Alongside the United States and the European Union, Turkey has designated the PKK as a terrorist organisation. The PKK has waged a decades-long insurgency against Turkey in which tens of thousands have been killed.

Turkey also wants Sweden and Finland to support its military operation against the People's Protection Units (YPG), a US-backed Syrian Kurdish group that played a crucial role in defeating the Islamic State. Turkey asserts that the YPG is an extension of the PKK.

Mr. Erdogan recently announced that Turkey would launch a new military operation to extend the Turkish armed forces' areas of control in Syria to a 30-kilometer swath of land along the two countries shared border. The offensive would target the YPG in the towns of Tel Rifaat and Manbij and possibly Kobani, Ain Issa, and Tell Tamer.

Watch | Ankara renews military offensive threats; Russia warns Turkiye against Syrian offensive

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&nbsp;

Past US and European failure to stand up for Kurdish rights, as part of Turkey's need to meet the criteria for NATO membership that include "fair treatment of minority populations," has complicated the fight against the Islamic State, stymied Kurdish aspirations beyond Turkey's borders and enabled repression of Kurdish rights in Turkey.

More immediately, the failure to hold Turkey accountable for its repression of Kurdish ethnic and political rights within the framework of the Turkish state has enabled Ankara to establish Turkish policies as a condition for NATO membership even if they violate NATO membership criteria.

Those policies include defining the peaceful expression of Kurdish identity as terrorism and the rolling back of Kurdish language and cultural rights since the collapse in 2015 of peace talks with the PKK. Turkey lifted the ban on Kurdish languages and the word Kurd in 1991. Until then, Kurds were referred to as ‘mountain Turks.’

The governor of the southeastern Turkish province of Diyarbakir, widely seen as a hub of Kurdish cultural and political activity, forced this writer under treat of death to leave the region for using the word Kurd rather than mountain Turk in interviews in the 1980s.

Kurdish language programs in universities have dwindled in recent years amid administrative hurdles, while Kurdish parents complain of pressure not to enroll their children in elective Kurdish courses.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-walks-out-of-security-council-meeting-after-eu-blames-kremlin-for-looming-food-crisis-485958">Russia walks out of Security Council meeting after EU blames Kremlin for looming food crisis</a>

Most Kurdish-language services and activities created by local administrations were terminated by government-appointed trustees who replaced dozens of Kurdish mayors ousted by Ankara for alleged links to the PKK. Many of the ousted mayors and other leading Kurdish politicians remain behind bars.

The failure to take Turkey to task early on takes on added significance at a time when NATO casts the war in Ukraine as a battle of values and of democracy versus autocracy that will shape the contours of a 21st-century world order.

For his part, US President Joe Biden has sought to regain the moral high ground in the wake of the Trump presidency that broke with American liberalism by declaring “America is back” in the struggle for democratic and human rights.

Mr. Biden and Europe’s problem is that their credibility rides on cleaning up at home and ensuring that they are seen as sincere rather than hypocritical.

That’s a tall order amid assertions of structural racism on both sides of the Atlantic; controversy over gun ownership in the United States; preferential arrangements for Ukrainian refugees as opposed to non-Europeans and non-whites fleeing war, persecution, and destruction; and foreign policies that treat violations of human and political rights differently depending on who commits them.

The obvious place to start is at home. Kurds could be another starting point, with Finnish and Swedish NATO membership on the front burner. Meeting Turkish demands regarding perpetrators of political violence is one thing; acquiescing in the criminalization of legitimate Kurdish political and cultural expression is another.

That may be a tough bargain to drive home in Ankara. However, it would offer a compromise formula that could serve everyone’s interest and help Turkey solve a problem that promises to be one of the Middle East’s multiple exploding powder kegs.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

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US and European acquiescence in Turkey's long-standing refusal to honour Kurdish ethnic, cultural, and political rights has come home to roost with Turkish opposition to Finnish and Swedish NATO membership.

US and European acquiescence in Turkey's long-standing refusal to honour Kurdish ethnic, cultural, and political rights has come home to roost with Turkish opposition to Finnish and Swedish NATO membership. The opposition has sparked debates about Turkey's controversial place in the North Atlantic defense alliance. Turkey’s detractors point to its problematic military intervention in Syria, relations with Russia, refusal to sanction Moscow, and alleged fuelling of tension in the eastern Mediterranean, calling the country’s NATO membership into question. Its defenders note that Turkey, NATO’s second-largest standing military, is key to maintaining the alliance’s southern flank. Also, Turkey’s geography, population size, economy, military power, and cultural links to a Turkic world make it a critical link between Europe and Asia. In addition, Turkish drones have been vital in Ukraine's war with Russia, while Turkey has been a mediator in the conflict, albeit with limited success. Also Read | Russian foreign minister visits Turkey to discuss Ukraine grain exports Kurdish rights hardly figure in the debates, and if they do, only as a prop for taking Turkey to task for its slide into authoritarianism. An ethnic group spread across southeastern Turkey, northern Iraq, northern Syria, and western Iran, Kurds are seen at best as assets in the fight against the Islamic State and at worst a threat to Turkish security and territorial integrity. Turkey's estimated 16 million Kurds account for up to 20 per cent of the country's population. Turkey, or Turkiye as it wants to be known going forward, has used the security argument to make its agreement to Swedish and Finnish NATO membership dependent on the two Nordic countries effectively accepting its definition of terrorism as including any national expression of Kurdish identity. Turkey has demanded that Sweden and Finland extradite 33 people, some of whom are Swedish or Finnish nationals, because of their alleged support for the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) or exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holds responsible for a failed military coup in 2016. Turkey accuses the two Nordic countries of allowing the PKK to organize on their territory. Alongside the United States and the European Union, Turkey has designated the PKK as a terrorist organisation. The PKK has waged a decades-long insurgency against Turkey in which tens of thousands have been killed. Turkey also wants Sweden and Finland to support its military operation against the People's Protection Units (YPG), a US-backed Syrian Kurdish group that played a crucial role in defeating the Islamic State. Turkey asserts that the YPG is an extension of the PKK. Mr. Erdogan recently announced that Turkey would launch a new military operation to extend the Turkish armed forces' areas of control in Syria to a 30-kilometer swath of land along the two countries shared border. The offensive would target the YPG in the towns of Tel Rifaat and Manbij and possibly Kobani, Ain Issa, and Tell Tamer. Watch | Ankara renews military offensive threats; Russia warns Turkiye against Syrian offensive × Past US and European failure to stand up for Kurdish rights, as part of Turkey's need to meet the criteria for NATO membership that include "fair treatment of minority populations," has complicated the fight against the Islamic State, stymied Kurdish aspirations beyond Turkey's borders and enabled repression of Kurdish rights in Turkey. More immediately, the failure to hold Turkey accountable for its repression of Kurdish ethnic and political rights within the framework of the Turkish state has enabled Ankara to establish Turkish policies as a condition for NATO membership even if they violate NATO membership criteria. Those policies include defining the peaceful expression of Kurdish identity as terrorism and the rolling back of Kurdish language and cultural rights since the collapse in 2015 of peace talks with the PKK. Turkey lifted the ban on Kurdish languages and the word Kurd in 1991. Until then, Kurds were referred to as ‘mountain Turks.’ The governor of the southeastern Turkish province of Diyarbakir, widely seen as a hub of Kurdish cultural and political activity, forced this writer under treat of death to leave the region for using the word Kurd rather than mountain Turk in interviews in the 1980s. Kurdish language programs in universities have dwindled in recent years amid administrative hurdles, while Kurdish parents complain of pressure not to enroll their children in elective Kurdish courses. Also Read | Russia walks out of Security Council meeting after EU blames Kremlin for looming food crisis Most Kurdish-language services and activities created by local administrations were terminated by government-appointed trustees who replaced dozens of Kurdish mayors ousted by Ankara for alleged links to the PKK. Many of the ousted mayors and other leading Kurdish politicians remain behind bars. The failure to take Turkey to task early on takes on added significance at a time when NATO casts the war in Ukraine as a battle of values and of democracy versus autocracy that will shape the contours of a 21st-century world order. For his part, US President Joe Biden has sought to regain the moral high ground in the wake of the Trump presidency that broke with American liberalism by declaring “America is back” in the struggle for democratic and human rights. Mr. Biden and Europe’s problem is that their credibility rides on cleaning up at home and ensuring that they are seen as sincere rather than hypocritical. That’s a tall order amid assertions of structural racism on both sides of the Atlantic; controversy over gun ownership in the United States; preferential arrangements for Ukrainian refugees as opposed to non-Europeans and non-whites fleeing war, persecution, and destruction; and foreign policies that treat violations of human and political rights differently depending on who commits them. The obvious place to start is at home. Kurds could be another starting point, with Finnish and Swedish NATO membership on the front burner. Meeting Turkish demands regarding perpetrators of political violence is one thing; acquiescing in the criminalization of legitimate Kurdish political and cultural expression is another. That may be a tough bargain to drive home in Ankara. However, it would offer a compromise formula that could serve everyone’s interest and help Turkey solve a problem that promises to be one of the Middle East’s multiple exploding powder kegs. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Double standards haunt US and Europe in NATO dispute with Turkey

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tueday began his two-day visit to Turkey for talks over unblocking grain export from Ukraine. Food grain exports from Ukraine are currently facing hurdles due to ongoing Russian invasion. Ukraine is often called 'breadbasket of Europe' and stalled grain exports are likely to cause a wider food crisis in the world.

Lavrov was forced to cancel a visit to Serbia on Monday after several of its neighbours prevented his plane from passing through their airspace.&nbsp;

Following the request of United Nations, Turkey has agreed to provide services to escort maritime convoys from ports of Ukraine. There are mines in the waterways. Some of them have been detected near the Turkish coast.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergeo Lavrov is accompanied by a military delegation and he is due to meet his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on Wednesday.

This is Lavrov's second Turkey visit. On March 10, he met Cavusoglu and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Negotiations will mainly circle around opening of a security corridor in order to ship grains from Ukraine.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-walks-out-of-security-council-meeting-after-eu-blames-kremlin-for-looming-food-crisis-485958">Russia walks out of Security Council meeting after EU blames Kremlin for looming food crisis</a>

An agreement between Ankara and Kyiv was hinted by Turkish Agriculture Minister Vahit Kirisci, said local media.

"But they (Ukrainians) have a dilemma about security and export. They want us to be the arbitrator here as Turkey. Negotiations continue under the auspices of the UN," he was quoted as saying.

"Both Russia and Ukraine trust us."

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement it "appreciates Turkey's efforts aimed at unblocking Ukrainian ports" but added that "for the moment there is no agreement on this point between Ukraine, Turkey and Russia."

"Decisions must be taken with the participation of all parties concerned", the ministry said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tueday began his two-day visit to Turkey for talks over unblocking grain export from Ukraine. Food grain exports from Ukraine are currently facing hurdles due to ongoing Russian invasion.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tueday began his two-day visit to Turkey for talks over unblocking grain export from Ukraine. Food grain exports from Ukraine are currently facing hurdles due to ongoing Russian invasion. Ukraine is often called 'breadbasket of Europe' and stalled grain exports are likely to cause a wider food crisis in the world. Lavrov was forced to cancel a visit to Serbia on Monday after several of its neighbours prevented his plane from passing through their airspace. Following the request of United Nations, Turkey has agreed to provide services to escort maritime convoys from ports of Ukraine. There are mines in the waterways. Some of them have been detected near the Turkish coast. Russian Foreign Minister Sergeo Lavrov is accompanied by a military delegation and he is due to meet his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on Wednesday. This is Lavrov's second Turkey visit. On March 10, he met Cavusoglu and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Negotiations will mainly circle around opening of a security corridor in order to ship grains from Ukraine. Also Read | Russia walks out of Security Council meeting after EU blames Kremlin for looming food crisis An agreement between Ankara and Kyiv was hinted by Turkish Agriculture Minister Vahit Kirisci, said local media. "But they (Ukrainians) have a dilemma about security and export. They want us to be the arbitrator here as Turkey. Negotiations continue under the auspices of the UN," he was quoted as saying. "Both Russia and Ukraine trust us." The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement it "appreciates Turkey's efforts aimed at unblocking Ukrainian ports" but added that "for the moment there is no agreement on this point between Ukraine, Turkey and Russia." "Decisions must be taken with the participation of all parties concerned", the ministry said. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Russian foreign minister visits Turkey to discuss Ukraine grain exports

What is behind Turkey’s Syria incursion threats?

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is planning a military incursion into Syria to drive back Kurdish fighters. Both Russia and the US have warned Erdogan against destabilising Syria. Will Turkey's military plans drag NATO and Russia into a new conflict? Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you.

Gravitas: Is Turkey planning to invade Syria?

Ukraine's Ambassador to Turkiye&nbsp;Vasyl Bodnar on Friday alleged that Russia was stealing Ukrainian grain and sending it abroad including to Turkey.

"Russia shamelessly steals Ukrainian grain and sends it overseas from Crimea, including to Turkey," said Ambassador Bodnar. He was quoted by AFP.

"We have asked for Turkey's help to resolve the issue," he added in a message on Twitter.

Ukraine has been a major exporter of wheat and sunflower oil. However, Russian invasion of the country has disrupted the export leading many to predict a global food crisis. Russian invasion started on February 24. The conflict has completed 100 days.

Watch | 100 days of the Russia-Ukraine war: No end in sight

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Turkiye&nbsp;has been doing a careful balancing act between Ukraine and Russia, it has cordial ties with both countries.

NATO member Turkiye&nbsp;has delivered combat drones to Ukraine and sought to act as mediator in the conflict, but has refrained from slapping sanctions on Russia on which it relies for grain and energy.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/victory-will-be-ours-says-ukraine-president-zelensky-on-100th-day-of-fight-with-russia-484883">'Victory will be ours,' says Ukraine President Zelensky on 100th day of fight with Russia</a>

At the request of United Nations, Turkiye&nbsp;has offered to to help secure maritime corridors for the export of Ukrainian grain.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is due to visit Turkiye&nbsp;on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-eu-bans-most-russian-oil-targets-putins-alleged-girlfriend-with-sanctions-484812">Ukraine war: EU bans most Russian oil, targets Putin's alleged girlfriend with sanctions</a>

Food prices have soared since the war began, with countries in Africa and the Middle East particularly at risk since grain cannot be delivered because of the Russian navy blockade of Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Ukraine's Ambassador to Turkiye Vasyl Bodnar on Friday alleged that Russia was stealing Ukrainian grain and sending it abroad including to Turkey. "Russia shamelessly steals Ukrainian grain and sends it overseas from Crimea, including to Turkey," said Ambassador Bodnar.

Ukraine's Ambassador to Turkiye Vasyl Bodnar on Friday alleged that Russia was stealing Ukrainian grain and sending it abroad including to Turkey. "Russia shamelessly steals Ukrainian grain and sends it overseas from Crimea, including to Turkey," said Ambassador Bodnar. He was quoted by AFP. "We have asked for Turkey's help to resolve the issue," he added in a message on Twitter. Ukraine has been a major exporter of wheat and sunflower oil. However, Russian invasion of the country has disrupted the export leading many to predict a global food crisis. Russian invasion started on February 24. The conflict has completed 100 days. Watch | 100 days of the Russia-Ukraine war: No end in sight × Turkiye has been doing a careful balancing act between Ukraine and Russia, it has cordial ties with both countries. NATO member Turkiye has delivered combat drones to Ukraine and sought to act as mediator in the conflict, but has refrained from slapping sanctions on Russia on which it relies for grain and energy. Also Read | 'Victory will be ours,' says Ukraine President Zelensky on 100th day of fight with Russia At the request of United Nations, Turkiye has offered to to help secure maritime corridors for the export of Ukrainian grain. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is due to visit Turkiye on Wednesday. Also Read | Ukraine war: EU bans most Russian oil, targets Putin's alleged girlfriend with sanctions Food prices have soared since the war began, with countries in Africa and the Middle East particularly at risk since grain cannot be delivered because of the Russian navy blockade of Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Ukraine envoy to Turkiye accuses Russia of stealing Ukrainian grain

Russia urged Turkey not to launch an offensive in northern Syria after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed threats of a military campaign targeting Kurdish terrorists.

Russia urges Turkey not to launch military action in Syria

Turkey has officially changed its name to Turkiye. Meanwhile, the United Nations has agreed to recognise the change while giving an approval on Thursday and said change will be immediate.

Turkey changes name to Turkiye; UN recognises the new name

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) the US-backed side in the Syrian war said on Thursday that Turkey's plans of new offensive in Syria may create humanitarian crisis.

SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said that all sides involved in the conflict should "prevent any new tragedies and support de-escalation". He warned that a fresh attack would lead to more displacement in the 11-year-long conflict.

Turkey, which has mounted four operations in northern Syria since 2016, has vowed a new offensive against the Kurdish YPG militia, the spearhead of the SDF, which controls swathes of territory at the Turkish border.

Turkey considers the Kurdish forces in Syria to be terrorists and a threat to national security. On the other hand the US views SDF as an ally &nbsp;that has helped drive Islamic State from vast areas of Syria.

Turkey is one of several powers drawn into the war in Syria, where Russia backs the government.

Russia, expressing alarm, said it hoped Turkey "refrains from actions which could lead to a dangerous deterioration of the already difficult situation in Syria".

A foreign ministry spokeswoman told Interfax news agency that if Ankara launched an attack it would represent a direct violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and provoke further escalation of tension.

Washington, whose support for the SDF has long been a point of tension in ties with its NATO ally Turkey, has expressed concern, saying any new offensive would put at risk U.S. troops - which have a presence in Syria - and undermine regional stability.

On a visit to the Turkish town of Hatay near the Syrian border, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations reiterated US opposition to any military action.

"We think that nothing should be done to break the ceasefire lines that have already been established," Linda Thomas Greenfield said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) the US-backed side in the Syrian war said on Thursday that Turkey's plans of new offensive in Syria may create humanitarian crisis.

Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) the US-backed side in the Syrian war said on Thursday that Turkey's plans of new offensive in Syria may create humanitarian crisis. SDF commander Mazloum Abdi said that all sides involved in the conflict should "prevent any new tragedies and support de-escalation". He warned that a fresh attack would lead to more displacement in the 11-year-long conflict. Turkey, which has mounted four operations in northern Syria since 2016, has vowed a new offensive against the Kurdish YPG militia, the spearhead of the SDF, which controls swathes of territory at the Turkish border. Turkey considers the Kurdish forces in Syria to be terrorists and a threat to national security. On the other hand the US views SDF as an ally that has helped drive Islamic State from vast areas of Syria. Turkey is one of several powers drawn into the war in Syria, where Russia backs the government. Russia, expressing alarm, said it hoped Turkey "refrains from actions which could lead to a dangerous deterioration of the already difficult situation in Syria". A foreign ministry spokeswoman told Interfax news agency that if Ankara launched an attack it would represent a direct violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and provoke further escalation of tension. Washington, whose support for the SDF has long been a point of tension in ties with its NATO ally Turkey, has expressed concern, saying any new offensive would put at risk U.S. troops - which have a presence in Syria - and undermine regional stability. On a visit to the Turkish town of Hatay near the Syrian border, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations reiterated US opposition to any military action. "We think that nothing should be done to break the ceasefire lines that have already been established," Linda Thomas Greenfield said. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

US-backed force in Syria warns against Turkish plans of new attack

Countries that have changed their names as Turkey becomes ‘Türkiye’

Turkey’s annual inflation rate hit a 24-year high of 73 per cent in May, data revealed on Friday, as the country battles Russia-Ukraine war-induced inflation, high energy prices and a tumbling lira that has not recovered since December last year.

According to data from the country’s statistical agency, the consumer price index rose 73.5 per cent year on year in May, the highest level since October 1998.

Food prices also rose 91.6 per cent year on year, while transport prices jumped by 107.6 per cent—a growing source of discontent among the Turkish public.

The source of the current economic crisis has been blamed on Erdogan's unorthodox policy of pushing for lower interest rates to combat price rises.

The central bank refused again last week to raise its main rate, keeping it at 14 per cent.

Rumours of military intervention in northern Syria further hit the value of the Turkish lira, which was at 16.49 to the dollar on Friday. The currency has lost nearly 48 percent in value over the past year, reports AFP.

With elections around the corner in June 2023, the opposition and many economists have accused the national statistics agency of deliberately underestimating the magnitude of inflation.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan claimed he was embarking on a new economic model that would harness a cheap lira and a boom in exports to bring down inflation by eliminating the country’s longstanding trade deficit.

Treasury and Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati on Monday brushed aside concerns, saying that the current inflationary trend was fleeting and would “not spread over the long term and be permanent”.

“We will increase the welfare and purchasing power of our citizens over the past level,” AFP quoted Nebati as saying.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Turkey’s annual inflation rate hit a 24-year high of 73 per cent in May, data revealed on Friday, as the country battles Russia-Ukraine war-induced inflation, high energy prices and a tumbling lira that has not recovered since December last year.

Turkey’s annual inflation rate hit a 24-year high of 73 per cent in May, data revealed on Friday, as the country battles Russia-Ukraine war-induced inflation, high energy prices and a tumbling lira that has not recovered since December last year. According to data from the country’s statistical agency, the consumer price index rose 73.5 per cent year on year in May, the highest level since October 1998. Food prices also rose 91.6 per cent year on year, while transport prices jumped by 107.6 per cent—a growing source of discontent among the Turkish public. The source of the current economic crisis has been blamed on Erdogan's unorthodox policy of pushing for lower interest rates to combat price rises. The central bank refused again last week to raise its main rate, keeping it at 14 per cent. Rumours of military intervention in northern Syria further hit the value of the Turkish lira, which was at 16.49 to the dollar on Friday. The currency has lost nearly 48 percent in value over the past year, reports AFP. With elections around the corner in June 2023, the opposition and many economists have accused the national statistics agency of deliberately underestimating the magnitude of inflation. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan claimed he was embarking on a new economic model that would harness a cheap lira and a boom in exports to bring down inflation by eliminating the country’s longstanding trade deficit. Treasury and Finance Minister Nureddin Nebati on Monday brushed aside concerns, saying that the current inflationary trend was fleeting and would “not spread over the long term and be permanent”. “We will increase the welfare and purchasing power of our citizens over the past level,” AFP quoted Nebati as saying. (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION's live TV here:

Turkey’s annual inflation spirals to 24-year high at 73%

There is a strange controversy brewing between Pakistan and Turkey. Hashtags like Pakistani perverts and Pakistani get out have started trending on Turkey's social media platforms. This comes after several videos had emerged allegedly showing Pakistani men sharing inappropriate videos of women and children

Pakistan men seen stalking Turkish women in TikTok videos

We Will Stop Femicide Platform, a &nbsp;popular Turkish anti-femicide group went on trial in Istanbul on Wednesday, having been accused of unlawful activities. If convicted, the group could be shut down.

Protesters outside the court waved banners bearing slogans such as "You will never walk alone!" and "We will stop women's murders", alongside the families of women murdered by men. &nbsp;

Hundreds of women rallied outside the court in Istanbul in support of women.

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Ipek Bozkurt, the lawyer for We Will Stop Femicide Platform, said femicides were "political" -- and so was the lawsuit.&nbsp;

"This is a move against the platform which strongly condemned the withdrawal from the Istanbul convention.

Therefore in our defence, we will explain to the judges why this case lacks legal grounds," she said.&nbsp;

Almost 300 lawyers from across Turkey expressed an interest in defending the group.&nbsp;

Femicide is the killing of a woman or girl, in particular by a man and on account of her gender. We Will Stop Femicide group has been working in order to raise awareness for this issue since 2010.&nbsp;

Aysun Kilic, from the bar association in the northwestern province of Kocaeli, said We Will Stop Femicide was conducting a careful, up-to-date study about murdered women.&nbsp;"This is actually the duty of the state," she told AFP.&nbsp;

"While this is the case, we find the lawsuit unlawful, dangerous for women's rights and an attempt to undermine a study on women's killings. This case is harming us and our fight for women's rights," she said.&nbsp;

Social conservatives in Turkey believe that the We Will Stop Femicide group supports homosexuality and works against traditional family values.&nbsp;

Melek Onder, another spokesperson of the group, remained defiant. "This legal action empowers us rather than weakens us," she told AFP.

"It's impossible to shut down this platform when women are still becoming victims of femicide," she said.&nbsp;"We are not desperate at all because we know that they cannot stop our struggle."

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[ With inputs from agencies] 
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We Will Stop Femicide Platform, a popular Turkish anti-femicide group went on trial in Istanbul on Wednesday, having been accused of unlawful activities. If convicted, the group could be shut down.

We Will Stop Femicide Platform, a popular Turkish anti-femicide group went on trial in Istanbul on Wednesday, having been accused of unlawful activities. If convicted, the group could be shut down. Protesters outside the court waved banners bearing slogans such as "You will never walk alone!" and "We will stop women's murders", alongside the families of women murdered by men. Hundreds of women rallied outside the court in Istanbul in support of women. Ipek Bozkurt, the lawyer for We Will Stop Femicide Platform, said femicides were "political" -- and so was the lawsuit. "This is a move against the platform which strongly condemned the withdrawal from the Istanbul convention. Therefore in our defence, we will explain to the judges why this case lacks legal grounds," she said. Almost 300 lawyers from across Turkey expressed an interest in defending the group. Femicide is the killing of a woman or girl, in particular by a man and on account of her gender. We Will Stop Femicide group has been working in order to raise awareness for this issue since 2010. Aysun Kilic, from the bar association in the northwestern province of Kocaeli, said We Will Stop Femicide was conducting a careful, up-to-date study about murdered women. "This is actually the duty of the state," she told AFP. "While this is the case, we find the lawsuit unlawful, dangerous for women's rights and an attempt to undermine a study on women's killings. This case is harming us and our fight for women's rights," she said. Social conservatives in Turkey believe that the We Will Stop Femicide group supports homosexuality and works against traditional family values. Melek Onder, another spokesperson of the group, remained defiant. "This legal action empowers us rather than weakens us," she told AFP. "It's impossible to shut down this platform when women are still becoming victims of femicide," she said. "We are not desperate at all because we know that they cannot stop our struggle." [ With inputs from agencies] WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Anti-femicide group goes on trial in Turkey, hundreds of women gather in support

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