Antony Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken opened his latest Mideast tour with two stops in Greece and Turkey, with a double mission in mind: Confirming the two NATO allies' commitment to US priorities in the region - a task that is easier for Athens and trickier for Ankara - and making sure that the improvement in relations between the two neighbors and traditional foes seen in recent months continu

Top U.S. diplomat Antony Blinken was due in Israel on Monday for difficult talks on the war in Gaza as fears grow that the conflict could engulf the wider region.

Speaking in Qatar on Sunday, Blinken said that Palestinians displaced by the now four-month-old war must be allowed to "return home", while warning that the violence could "easily metastasize" into a regional conflict.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met the leaders of Turkey and Greece on Saturday at the start of a week-long trip aimed at calming tensions that have spiked across the Middle East since Israel's war with Hamas began in October.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed the Gaza conflict and European security priorities, including Sweden's NATO integration, during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Saturday. 

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated, "Greece-US bilateral relations are at their best," during his meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Hania, Crete on Saturday. 

The meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, in Istanbul on Saturday lasted approximately two hours. 

Following this, Blinken is expected to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before departing for Crete, where he will meet Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. 

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was expected to meet the leaders of Greece and Turkey on Saturday at the start of a week-long trip aimed at tamping down tensions that have spiked across the Middle East since Israel's war with Hamas began in October.

Arms procurements are expected to be an important part of the agenda of talks between US Secretary Antony Blinken and Greek officials Saturday.

As Antony Blinken visits Greece, it is fair to wonder whether this is his last trip as US Secretary of State. 2024 is, after all, an election year and we are headed for more election year drama.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Istanbul, his first of nine stops during a week-long trip, Friday afternoon.

Next stop for Blinken will be Hania, Crete, where he will meet with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis Saturday.