North Atlantic Treaty Organization

As a strategic partner of Israel, and also a country with traditional ties with the Muslim world, Greece, a NATO and European Union member in close proximity to the Middle East, is monitoring the latest developments in the region and is ready to play any role that may be deemed necessary.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has announced Slovakia's opposition to Ukraine's bid for NATO membership, emphasizing the need for a neutral Ukraine to safeguard Slovakia's interests.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged allies on Monday to show the same "unity" towards Ukraine as Israel, which said it repelled an Iranian attack over the weekend with Western support.

Ukraine has in recent months grown increasingly frustrated at delays in Western aid, including air defences it says are urgently needed to repel deadly Russian attacks.

High-ranking Greek and Turkish officials will meet in Athens on Monday, April 22.

The agenda, whose details are not yet known, will focus on the so-called Confidence Building Measures. It is part of the effort to maintain communications between the two NATO allies and avoid tensions.

Senior Turkish and American officials will meet in the Turkish capital to discuss joint efforts to improve bilateral ties and discuss regional issues, including the situation in Gaza and Russia's occupation of Ukraine.

Under Secretary of State Department John Bass will be in Ankara on April 15 and 16, the State Department has announced.

In the wake of Iran's recent drone attack on Israel, European Union (EU) and NATO member states have heightened their state of combat readiness. This move comes amidst escalating tensions in the region, with concerns not only for the safety of partner nations but also for the protection of their own forces deployed in conflict zones.

The Kremlin has proposed resurrecting the abandoned 2022 peace deal between Russia and Ukraine as a basis for new negotiations. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated that there has been no indication from Kyiv signaling readiness for such talks.

French President Emmanuel Macron has initiated confidential talks with US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, advocating for a change in the West's approach to Russia's ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Amid growing concerns over security in the wake of the conflict in Ukraine, Bulgaria's Acting Minister of Defense, Atanas Zapryanov, has addressed the issue of conscription, stating that while it is being discussed, no political decision has been reached as of yet.

As NATO commemorates its 75th anniversary, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reaffirmed the alliance's unwavering commitment to Ukraine during a high-level meeting in Brussels.