Witkoff to Putin’s interpreter:

The legend! I can recognize your voice now better than any voice on the earth.

BIG: The U.S. Air Force will run a multi-day readiness exercise in the Middle East.

Source: Al Arabiya

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan:

After Assad fled, regional states met first in Amman and then in Cairo, later joined by Europeans and Americans, to set clear expectations for any government in Damascus.

We told Ahmed al-Sharaa: these are the conditions the region expects — no threats to neighbors, no ties to terrorist groups, protection for minorities, and respect for Syria’s unity.

If you meet them, you will have international support; if you don’t, that support will end.

He accepted these terms, and so far everyone is reasonably satisfied with his performance.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan:

We are not talking about an Ottoman Empire, because the Ottoman Empire was about being an empire.

Today, we are talking about nation-states coming together to form their own platforms and take ownership of their own problems — whether economic, political, security, or terrorism-related.

If we continue to wait for a hegemon to solve our problems, most of the time they will not be solved in the way we would like.

Large crowds of men volunteering at Syrian Army recruitment centers in Deir Ez-Zor.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan:

I don’t believe what’s happening in Iran will lead to regime change.

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Iran:

I would advise my American friends: don’t make this another Venezuela.

Iran is ready to negotiate, but you need to find a way to negotiate in the right way so they do not lose face.

If they feel cornered, they will prepare for the worst-case scenario.

READ MORE

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the EU:

As long as the European Union continues to pursue identity politics toward Türkiye, I don’t think Türkiye will ever become a member of the EU.

When it comes to Türkiye, it follows identity politics, seeing us as belonging to a different religion and a different civilization.

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BREAKING: Secretary-General of Iraq’s Hezbollah Brigades calls for preparing for a “comprehensive war” backing Iran.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the EU:

Until 2007, two major European countries — France and Germany — had the political will to see Türkiye become a member of the European Union, provided that Türkiye met the EU’s conditions and standards.

But when Nicolas Sarkozy came to power in France, he changed this approach.

He adopted identity politics and said, “We are Christian Europe,” and therefore he did not want Türkiye to become part of the European Union.

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the EU:

If Türkiye had been part of the European Union, we would not have seen Brexit, and Europe would have been much more resilient in the face of today’s challenges.

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on the EU:

If the United Kingdom had been a member of the European Union and Türkiye had been a member of the European Union, we would have created our own center of gravity.

Instead, now we are looking at different superpowers — either America, China, or Russia — and we are drifting toward them.

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Zohran Mamdani is actively on the ground assisting people during the snowstorm.

Talabani authorities in northern Iraq arrested four Kurdish religious scholars in Sulaymaniyah for refusing to support the PKK’s separatist project in Syria.

NEW: Syrian Army Operations Command says SDF/YPG violated the ceasefire near Ayn al-Arab, attacking army positions with over 25 FPV suicide drones, destroying 4 vehicles.

They also shelled the M4 road and nearby villages, injuring civilians.

Syrian Army says it is considering military responses.

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BIG: Yemen's Houthis released a new video warning they could resume attacks on ships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Red Sea.

Syrian Foreign Ministry official denies any deal with Israel, saying Syria will not give up territory:

We didn’t agree with Israel to hand over any inch of Syrian land… we will recover every inch of Syria.

But you can check with the foreign official in the Autonomous Administration who appeals to the Israeli enemy to intervene to solve the problem of the PKK organization.

They are looking for the Israeli enemy to be the savior of the PKK organization in Syria.

I speak on behalf of Syria. This is not true. Don't repeat the question.

Until now, no agreement has been reached with the Israeli enemy.

BIG: German investment in the U.S. fell about 45% in Trump’s first year back in office, as companies were spooked by tariffs, trade uncertainty, and a weaker dollar.

German exports to the U.S. also dropped sharply, marking their biggest decline since 2010.

Source: IW

LATEST: Map shows the scale of the U.S. military buildup around Iran.

Fighter jets, tankers, AWACS, and carrier air wings positioned across Europe and the Middle East.

Source: DefenceGeek (at X)