AL-Monitor

NEW newsletter: Introducing FutureVerse, where Al-Monitor’s senior market research analyst Samuel Wendel explores the latest innovation trends influencing the future of the Middle East, from AI to EVs. Start here with our first edition and subscribe for more in your inbox every Tuesday. https://lnkd.in/eaGEKtNn

???????????????? Very happy about my latest analysis for AL-Monitor — "As Trump freezes Ukraine aid, will Europe turn to Turkey for weapons systems?" Immense gratitude to Dr. Hüseyin Fazla, Abdullah Bekci, Kozan S. Erkan, Federico Borsari, Esat Arslan, and Kaner Kurt for their insights and comments. https://lnkd.in/d9GCyWgS

#NEWS Troubling developments in Syria following clashes between government forces & pro-Assad militias as well as sectarian killings targeting the Alawite community. My latest for AL-Monitor looks at how the unrest will affect Syria's stability, relations with the West, and the region as a whole.

??Beautiful read from AL-Monitor #Riyadh: Saudi artist Ahmed Mater brings exhibit to Shanghai https://lnkd.in/dEc9gdjs via AL-Monitor City Pulse by Rebecca Anne Proctor Don't forget to subscribe! #SaudiArabia #MiddleEast #Gulf #culture #events #books #museums #activities #newsletter #ALMcitypulse #ALMinmycity?

NEW: Three months after Syria's rebel takeover, all eyes are on Ahmed al-Sharaa and whether he can stabilize the economy as promised. As the post-Assad honeymoon in Syria slips away,?Elizabeth Hagedorn's latest dispatch from Damascus looks at the challenging road ahead as Syria's new rulers seek to mend an economy in tatters.?https://lnkd.in/eKXMNM6q

We're thrilled that Audrey Bolus is joining our team as Social & Multimedia Editor.

PODCAST ??? Check out my conversation with Bar?n Kayao?lu about Turkey's potential role in a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire & how Ankara views the tensions between the Trump administration & Zelensky. AL-Monitor

NEW: Lebanese president Aoun is hoping to secure more military aid from Saudi Arabia as Lebanon works to implement the ceasefire deal that ended the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. The kingdom is pleased with political developments in Lebanon and wants to see Hezbollah’s influence rolled back even further. My latest for AL-Monitor:

Latest for AL-Monitor: #Algeria has officially become the first export customer for #Russia’s Su-57E, marking a key moment for both Moscow’s arms industry and North African security dynamics. With deliveries expected to begin in 2025, this acquisition reaffirms Algeria’s status as one of Russia’s most reliable military partners while further fueling the arms race with #Morocco. For #Russia, the deal arrives at a crucial time. With its defense industry under pressure from sanctions, supply chain disruptions, and competing global arms suppliers, securing Algeria as the first operator of its fifth-generation stealth fighter provides both a financial boost and a much-needed credibility win. Yet, challenges remain: the #Su57 'Felon' has faced slow production rates, limited combat deployment (allegedly, in Syria and Ukraine), and tough competition from Western and Chinese alternatives. Diplomatically, the purchase also highlights #Algeria’s complex balancing act. While the country recently signed a defense cooperation MoU with US AFRICOM, this deal reinforces its strategic alignment with Russia at a time when Washington—under Secretary of State Marco Rubio—has signaled a hardening stance toward Algiers. Meanwhile, Europe remains divided. While #France, #Italy, and #Spain maintain close ties with Algeria, no coherent EU-wide policy complicates Western responses. At the regional level, the deal underscores the escalating military competition between #Algeria and #Morocco. While Algiers has long relied on Moscow as its primary arms supplier, Rabat has strengthened its military ties with the United States, Turkey, and Israel, securing advanced equipment such as the F-16V, Apache helicopters, and cutting-edge drone technologies. Morocco is also being speculated as a potential future operator of the US #F35, so Algeria’s Su-57 acquisition is a direct effort to maintain air superiority in North Africa (as well as in the Mediterranean, where F-35 already fly in Italian ranks). The piece features insights from?Douglas Barrie?on the Su-57’s export challenges and?Umberto Profazio?on Algeria’s security calculus. ?? You can read the complete analysis here: https://lnkd.in/dKdZrxCg

Podcast ?? What does Israel want to accomplish in Syria? A very interesting interview with AL-Monitor Israel Pulse columnist Ben Caspit: