Turkey Moves Into the Yemen–Hormuz Game as Fidan Meets MBZ

Hakan Fidan’s talks with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed come as Houthi advances reshape the battlefield in Yemen and the crisis around the Strait of Hormuz puts Gulf energy routes under mounting pressure. Ankara wants freedom of navigation through both Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb, backs a peaceful and territorially united Yemen and has signaled readiness to support Saudi Arabia’s defense needs — without committing Turkish forces to another Middle Eastern war.

Plevris to POLITICO: ‘Rejected asylum seekers should leave the EU’ – Return hubs from early 2027

Greece is pushing for faster returns of people who are no longer entitled to international protection, placing itself at the forefront of a new European migration strategy. Athens, Copenhagen, Berlin, Vienna and The Hague are working on return hubs in third countries, with a first pilot project targeted for early 2027.

Netanyahu’s Secret UAE Trip: The Pre-Oct. 7 Warning That Could Haunt Israel

Benjamin Netanyahu made a previously unannounced trip to the United Arab Emirates for talks with President Mohamed bin Zayed. According to Al-Monitor, the Israeli prime minister sought an Emirati denial of explosive reports that Abu Dhabi had warned Israel ahead of Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack — a claim Netanyahu categorically rejects and the UAE has not publicly confirmed.

EU–Russia: The €200bn Legal War That Never Ended — Moscow Is Taking the Fight to Europe’s Courts

The EU found €90 billion for Ukraine and temporarily avoided the explosive question of confiscating Russia’s sovereign reserves. But more than €200 billion remains immobilised at Euroclear, and the battle has now shifted from European summits to courtrooms in Moscow, Brussels and Luxembourg. The question Europe postponed is becoming harder to avoid: who ultimately gets the money?

Exarchou to FT: Europe Enters a “War for LNG Cargoes” With Asia — Methane Rules Face Pressure as Winter Race Intensifies

Alexandros Exarchou put his finger on the critical dilemma facing Europe ahead of winter 2026–27: when Europe and Asia are competing for the same LNG cargoes, energy security, affordability and regulatory requirements begin to collide. The Financial Times describes a global bidding race that could push Asian LNG prices as high as $35/MMBtu, while Brussels’ debate over delaying parts of the EU methane framework shows how quickly market realities are reshaping energy policy.

Battle for the ECB Begins Early: Europe’s Political Shift Accelerates the Succession Power Game

Isabel Schnabel’s early departure, Philip Lane’s term ending in May and uncertainty over exactly when Christine Lagarde will leave are creating a rare window for reshaping power at the European Central Bank. Paris, Berlin and Madrid are already positioning themselves, while political instability and the rise of radical and far-right parties across Europe add urgency to a succession battle that could determine the ECB’s direction for years.

IPTO “Fortifies” the Ionian Islands: New 150 kV Links Bring Zakynthos, Kefalonia and Lefkada Into a New Energy Era

Two upgraded electricity interconnections, with a combined length of 35.2 kilometres, are replacing decades-old infrastructure and strengthening security of supply across Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Ithaca and Lefkada. IPTO is completing another major step in the systematic modernisation of the Ionian grid, while the next project is already advancing: the new Corfu–Igoumenitsa interconnection.

Ignatiou: Turkey’s S-400s Turn Into a Geopolitical Trap — No F-35 Path Without a Solution, No Transfer Without Moscow

Michalis Ignatiou highlights a new strategic dilemma facing Ankara: Washington continues to link the S-400 dispute to US legal requirements and any possible Turkish return to the F-35 programme, while Moscow insists that the Russian-made systems cannot be transferred to a third country without its consent. The United Arab Emirates has emerged as a possible destination — bringing Israel into an increasingly complex US-Russia-Turkey equation.

Athens Rejects WSJ Claim That Kimberly Guilfoyle Threatened Greek Government: “It Never Happened — Nor Would It Ever Be Tolerated”

Athens has categorically rejected claims that US Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle threatened the Greek government during a heated exchange with Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said he had made the “necessary communications” before issuing his denial, while the Wall Street Journal has reported a disputed account of a March 2026 dinner in Athens. Guilfoyle’s lawyer has also denied the episode as described.

Greece Becomes Europe’s “Southern Energy Gateway”: US LNG, the Vertical Corridor and a New Geopolitical Map

Athens and Washington are building a strategic relationship increasingly shaped by pipelines, LNG infrastructure and hydrocarbon exploration. Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis described Greece–US ties as “closer and more stable than ever,” as Europe’s move away from Russian gas increases the strategic value of Greece’s northbound energy routes.

DBRS: Greece Widens Growth Gap With Europe’s Core — Economy Seen Expanding 1.8% as Unemployment Heads Toward 7.8%

While France, Germany and Italy struggle with growth around or below 1%, Morningstar DBRS expects Greece to expand by 1.8% in both 2026 and 2027. The labor market is set to improve further, but the new Greek growth story faces a major external threat: oil, the Strait of Hormuz and an energy shock capable of rewriting Europe’s economic outlook.

Dendias Marks Five Years Since Greece–France Defense Pact: “Our Strategic Relationship Remains Exceptionally Strong”

Five years after the landmark defense agreement was signed in Paris, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias has put the Athens–Paris strategic partnership back in the spotlight, recalling his own role in the 2021 deal and pointing to its renewal earlier this year.