As Russian troops move closer to the Ukrainian capital Kiev, the US, EU and the UK are implementing a new package of sanctions on Russia and its close ally Belarus. The eastern European country has been crucial in providing Russia with easy access to Ukraine through its territory, but denies direct involvement in the operation. Hadya al Alawi reports.

Scenes of destroyed Russian tanks and a Ukrainian population vowing to fight on, has mobilized the world against Moscow. Russia's president Vladimir Putin is finding his country increasingly isolated as dozens of countries impose flight restrictions and export bans. International support for Ukraine is also ramping up, with Kiev saying it has used Turkish-made drones to hit Russian targets.

Guests:

Rich Outzen

Former US Diplomat

Mitat Celikpala

Professor at Kadir Has University

Klaus Jurgens

Political Analyst

More than 300 civilians, including several children, have been killed since Russia’s attack on Ukraine began on Thursday, according to the Ukrainian health ministry. The UN says more than 100,000 people have been displaced, and that it expects that number to rise to 4 million. Hadya Al Alawi reports.

In a major escalation, Russia's President Vladimir Putin ordered troops into two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine, which he officially recognised as independent. Putin called the deployment a peacekeeping mission, which was swiftly condemned by the US and EU. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country was not afraid and would not give anything to anyone. The UN security council held an emergency meeting late Monday, where several nations condemned Russia's moves as a violation of international law and Ukraine's sovereignty. Turkiye's foreign ministry was also swift in its condemnation of Russia, calling its latest moves unacceptable. So is this crisis headed towards further escalation?

Guests:

Glenn Diesen

Professor at the University of South-Eastern Norway

Peter Zalmayev

Director of the Eurasia Democracy Initiative

Mehmet Ali Ugur

Assistant Professor at Yalova University

1952 was a crucial turning point for Türkiye. The country was fighting alongside the US in the Korean War and it was also the year it joined the NATO military alliance. One of its earliest members, Türkiye provided the western bloc with a strong foothold to contain Soviet expansion. And since joining, Türkiye has been actively involved in almost every major NATO mission. But that partnership hasn't always gone both ways. Since the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in 2011, Ankara has criticized some NATO members for not acknowledging security threats facing Türkiye. The growing crisis over Ukraine has also exposed long simmering divisions within the alliance.

Guests:

Mustafa Aydin

Professor at Kadir Has University

Samuel Doveri Vesterbye

Managing Director of the European Neighbourhood Council

2021 was an important year for Türkiye's relations with Africa. President Erdogan visited several countries on the continent, and he hosted a partnership summit with African leaders in Istanbul, to forge new trade deals. But Ankara's ties with the continent go well beyond commercial opportunities. Turkish aid groups have provided assistance in drought hit regions and conflict zones. And Türkiye isn't the only country looking to engage the continent on a large scale. But countries like France and China have faced criticism over their practices. So where does Türkiye's engagement fit in? Has it found a different path to engage Africa?

Guests:

Hassan Khannenje

Director of the HORN Institute

David Arase

Resident Professor at Hopkins-Nanjing Centre

It's been 4 months since Iraqis voted in parliamentary elections. But the country remains politically paralyzed. A government has yet to form, with political parties deadlocked over who will hold key posts. The latest blow came after Iraq's Supreme Court barred veteran politician Hoshyar Zebari from running for president over allegations of corruption. Zebari, a former foreign minister comes from the Kurdish minority, which traditionally has held the mostly ceremonial post of president. His exclusion follows last week's decision by Iraqi lawmakers to postpone the presidential vote. What security challenges could arise from Iraq's political stalemate, and are terror groups in the region looking to exploit the divide?

Guests:

Lahib Higel

Senior Iraq Analyst at Crisis Group

Omer Ozkizilcik

Security Analyst

After years of strained ties, Türkiye and the UAE have seen relations improve dramatically over the past several months. And that was on full display on Monday, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Abu Dhabi, his first visit to the gulf state in nearly a decade. Topping President Erdogan's meeting with Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan, was the growing economic partnership between Türkiye and the UAE. The two leaders oversaw the signing of 13 agreements, covering everything from trade, defence, health, and climate change. Also touched on were the security challenges facing the region.

Guests:

Helin Sari Ertem

Associate Professor at Medeniyet University

Sinem Cengiz

Political Analyst

One consequence of the US's chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan has been the poor security along its borders. Overwhelmed with keeping its grip on power, the Taliban have done little to stop militants from freely crossing into Pakistan. That has fuelled violence in the country's southwest province of Balochistan, where militants have been fighting for decades to carve out a separate state. A recent attack there left at least seven Pakistani soldiers dead. Baloch militant groups have also frequently targeted Chinese projects in the region, hoping to drive a wedge between Beijing and Islamabad.

Guests:

Huma Baqai

Associate Professor at IBA Karachi

Amir Zia

Editor-in-chief of Bol Media Group

Nearly 30 million people visited Türkiye last year, a sharp increase from 2020 but still far from pre-pandemic levels. Revenues doubled from the previous year, hitting twenty-four and a half billion dollars. Although the increase was short of the record set in 2019, analysts pointed out that it was a healthy recovery amid the coronavirus pandemic. And this year, hopes are high that the recovery will continue, as global restrictions ease, and air travel increases.

Guests:

Ibrahim Demir

Associate Professor at Yildirim Beyazit University

Virginia Messina

Senior VP at World Travel and Tourism Council