Russia

Russia and Israel are planning to sign a free trade agreement (FTA) very soon, Russian Deputy Agriculture Minister Sergey Levin confirmed on Friday.  “Such decisions aim at maximizing cooperation between Russia and Israel in terms of agriculture and new technologies; creation of joint ventures, as well as the prospects of a free trade zone agreement which the government expects to sign with Israel as soon as possible,” Levin said following Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich’s meeting with businessmen from Israel.

"It’s a joke. We couldn't wish [for] more than that. If they can do it, then let them do it — but talking militarily, this is not easy for a country already facing defeat in another war, in Yemen, where after almost one year they have failed in achieving any real victory.”

That’s what one source in the Iranian military had to say about reports that Saudi Arabia is preparing to send ground troops into Syria.

As you might have heard, the opposition in Syria is in serious trouble.

Last summer, Bashar al-Assad’s army was on the ropes, as the SAA fought a multi-front war against a dizzying array of rebel forces including ISIS. Then Quds commander Qassem Soleimani went to Russia. After that, everything changed.

Submitted by JC Collins via PhilosophyOfMetrics.com,

For the first time in a long time I feel concerned and worried about the prospect of war.  The reaction of Saudi Arabia to the Russian intervention in Syria has always been the wild card in the shifting geopolitical power base in the Middle East.  Turkey and Israel, along with Saudi Arabia are the three countries with the most to lose because of a strong alliance between Syria, Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia.

The UK are sending up to 6,000 British troops and five warships to the Baltic as part of an operation to buildup Nato’s military presence against Russia.  Amid escalating tensions between Russia and NATO-backed allies, the UK have decided to significantly increase its presence with other European countries in the region, including Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. NATO say the increase in military on the Russian border is a more “muscular approach” against Russian President Vladimir Putin.