Turkey’s recent policies in Syria are emblematic of the way a middle power can exert influence in its region, sometimes outmaneuvering seemingly stronger players. Throughout Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011,

Eni delivered gas last year from Russia to Turkey, documents posted on the Italian energy group's website showed on Monday, confirming the company was still dealing in Russian gas despite suspending supplies within Europe.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly floated the possibility of scrapping his Middle East travel schedule and adding a stop to personally mediate Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Turkey.

The talks in Istanbul complicated a European push for the U.S. to pressure Russia an into a ceasefire in Ukraine, even as questions persist on who is attending.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him in Turkey on Thursday. A US media outlet has reported that a Russian delegation set to visit the country will likely be led by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and an aide to Putin.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan has probably never held more global sway: he will host the first direct Russia-Ukraine peace talks in three years on Thursday, days after his country's militant nemesis, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), dissolved.