Özil rejects Erdoğan opponents' boycott call, urges 'social cohesion'
'Let's not harm our local and national brands under the guise of a boycott. Let's protect our social cohesion!' the former professional footballer wrote on social media platform X late Tuesday.
The arrest and detention of ousted Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu plunged Turkey into turmoil and sparked mass protests. Hundreds of thousands have taken to the streets, and İmamoğlu's party has called for more demonstrations for Wednesday evening.
A politician from the main opposition CHP mocked Özil on X, questioning which national team jersey he had worn. Özil responded that he had played for Germany and had never doubted his 'loyalty to my country and my nation.'
Özil, the son of Turkish immigrants in Germany, has long been a supporter of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was the best man at his wedding.
The 36-year-old recently became a member of a key leadership committee at Erdoğan's ruling AKP party.
The opposition's boycott call targets companies and brands, mostly seen as government-aligned.
The call has drawn sharp criticism from government officials. Prosecutors in Istanbul launched an investigation into the "divisive" call and "those spreading" it.
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Eastern Libya Poised to Greenlight Turkish Offshore Exploration
Libya's eastern-based parliament is preparing to approve a 2019 maritime pact that would allow Turkey to explore for oil and gas in Libyan waters, according to people familiar with the talks in Benghazi and Ankara. Most obstacles to the accord have been cleared, they said, a striking reversal for the east—long aligned with commander Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army and historically opposed to Turkish involvement. Tripoli, which already maintains close ties with Ankara, backs the deal. If ratified, Turkish survey and drilling vessels could begin work in a corridor between Turkey and Crete, bolstering Ankara's claims in the eastern Mediterranean and likely aggravating disputes with Greece and Cyprus. The pending vote follows a cautious détente between Turkey and Haftar: a Turkish navy corvette, TCG K?nal?ada, is visiting Benghazi; Ankara is weighing military training support; and Haftar's son, Saddam, met Turkey's defense leadership in April. Turkey is also keen to revive billions of dollars in stalled construction contracts and has restarted direct flights to Benghazi, while major Turkish contractors scope reconstruction and materials production in the east. Eastern authorities increasingly see the accord as a way to attract investment. The maritime move comes as Libya's energy sector regains momentum. On August 19, the National Oil Corporation (NOC) reported over 1.38 million barrels of crude produced in the prior 24 hours, plus ~50,000 b/d of condensate and 2.48 bcf of natural gas, reaffirming its focus on production stability, domestic supply, and export obligations. Output reached a 12-year high of ~1.23 million b/d in May despite periodic clashes around Tripoli, and NOC targets 2 million b/d by 2028 through capacity expansions and stronger infrastructure. Libya launched its first field tenders in 17 years in March, drawing 400+ bids across 22 blocks, and ExxonMobil signed an MoU this month to assess offshore blocks off the northwest coast and the Sirte Basin—signals of returning foreign interest. Libya's light, low-sulfur barrels remain highly prized, with reserves leading Africa and ranking ninth globally. Regionally, the potential Turkish exploration underscores shifting geopolitics. With Russia preoccupied in Ukraine, Simon Watkins writes that Washington and London are pushing to cement influence across the Middle East and North Africa, backing economic stabilization tied to energy development in states like Syria and Libya. In Libya, BP and Shell recently signed frameworks with NOC to evaluate redevelopment of large onshore fields and other assets, while a Mellitah Oil & Gas–Hill International agreement aims to lift gas output from 2026. These moves—alongside U.S. and European engagement—make it harder for rivals to reassert dominance. Still, the maritime file is fraught. Greece in May tendered exploration blocks south of Crete that overlap waters Libya claims; the European Union has argued the mooted Libya–Turkey arrangement infringes third-state rights and conflicts with the UN Law of the Sea. For Libya, the near-term challenge is operational continuity: safeguarding fields and export terminals, ensuring power and water for upstream operations, and keeping cross-faction revenue disputes in check. If stability holds and planned investments proceed, Libya could add meaningful barrels just as global supply is expected to loosen into late 2025–2026—while Ankara's prospective offshore campaigns would add a new layer of complexity to the eastern Mediterranean energy map. By Charles Kennedy for More Top Reads From this article on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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Trump signals move to Putin's corner as Zelensky heads to White House
President Trump has ditched his demand for Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine and appears ready to pressure Kyiv to cede territory to Moscow as part of a peace deal that also includes U.S. security guarantees. Trump's shift follows a meeting with Putin in Alaska, in which Trump touted progress toward a peace deal but offered no specifics. The president is set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders at the White House on Monday. Before his meeting with Putin, Trump said he would be angry if the Russian leader did not agree to a ceasefire in Anchorage, while European leaders who spoke to Trump prior to the summit said he agreed he would not negotiate territorial concessions with Putin. It seems the president changed his mind on both counts. After a call with Zelensky and European leaders Saturday, Trump said in a social media post that 'it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.' There's no sign that Ukrainian or European officials are on board with the plan. This approach would violate one of the five principles Ukraine and Europe laid out before the talks: that a ceasefire must be in place before formal peace talks begin. Zelensky said Monday's meeting would allow all sides 'to discuss all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war.' There are signs that Moscow is willing to lower some of its demands. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told ZDF television that Trump, on the call with European leaders, said Russia was prepared to negotiate based on the current 'line of contact,' or front line in the war, rather than the administrative boundary around four regions that it illegally annexed early in the war. And Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday that Putin had agreed to 'robust' security guarantees for Ukraine, which he called a 'game changer' in the negotiations. 'Everything is going to be about what the Ukrainians can live with, but assuming they could, we were able to win the following concession: that the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO,' Witkoff said. Article 5 of the NATO charter states that an attack on one member is an attack on all, effectively ensuring the U.S. will deploy its military to protect allies. Russia has drawn a red line on Ukraine joining the alliance, while Kyiv has insisted on U.S. security guarantees as part of a peace deal. Putin has also reportedly offered a written promise not to invade the rest of Ukraine or other neighboring countries in the future. Critics point out Putin has made a habit of violating such agreements. The biggest sticking point is likely to be what Trump has called 'land swaps,' though all of the land in question belongs to Ukraine. Zelensky has insisted Ukraine's constitution bars him from ceding any territory, while arguing a Ukrainian retreat from the Donbas — the eastern region claimed by Russia — would open the way for Russia to invade the rest of Ukraine, including Kyiv. 'We will never leave the Donbas,' Zelensky told reporters Tuesday. Kaja Kallas, the European Union's top diplomat, sought to temper expectations of an imminent peace deal in a Saturday post on X. 'President Trump's resolve to get a peace deal is vital,' she wrote. 'But the harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war anytime soon.' She suggested Trump needed to do more to pressure Putin. 'The U.S. holds the power to force Russia to negotiate serious,' she said, adding, 'Moscow won't end the war until it realizes it can't continue.' Trump had shown increasing frustration with Putin in the months leading up to the Alaska summit, but since the meeting has not mentioned his threats of crippling sanctions mean to isolate Moscow from its key trading partners. Earlier this month, Trump announced new sanctions on India over its purchase of Russian oil, which are set to take effect in the coming weeks. While Republicans have expressed optimism that Trump's mediation is moving Russia and Ukraine closer to peace, some Democrats have said the president appears to be handing Putin what he wants with nothing in return. 'It was a failure,' Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said of Friday's summit, during an appearance on NBC's 'Meet the Press' on Sunday. 'Trump said, 'If I don't get a ceasefire, Putin is going to pay a price.' And then he walked out of that meeting saying, 'I didn't get a ceasefire, I didn't get a peace deal, and I'm not even considering sanctions,'' Murphy said. 'Putin walks away from this photo op with zero commitments made and zero consequences. What a great day for Russia.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 hours ago
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How Trump introduced European leaders
President Trump met with European leaders on Monday to discuss the war in Ukraine alongside the country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, amid a push from the White House for an end to the conflict. Among those who participated in the meeting included German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. As the meeting kicked off, Trump gave his fellow world leaders colorful introductions, using descriptors such as 'great political leader,' 'my friend' and 'an inspiration.' Here's how the leaders got introduced by Trump at the meeting; NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte Trump referred to Rutte as 'a great gentleman, great — great political leader in Europe, generally, but now he's the NATO secretary-general and you're doing a fantastic job.' Ahead of Friday's meeting between Trump and Russia President Vladimir Putin, Rutte said the alliance is 'making sure that Ukraine has what it needs to stay in the fight British Prime Minister Keir Starmer 'Prime Minister Starmer of the United Kingdom, our friend and my friend and doing really well,' Trump said of Starmer at the top of the meeting. 'And people like him a lot. We all like him.' After February's rocky meeting between Zelensky and Trump, Starmer offered a warm embrace of the Ukrainian president. 'You have full backing from the United Kingdom, and we stand with you with Ukraine for as long as it may take,' Starmer, said during a press conference with Zelensky in March. French President Emmanuel Macron Trump especially heaped praise upon Macron when introducing him, saying he 'liked him from day 1.' 'Everyone knows President Macron of France, who's been with me from the beginning, one of the first people I met as a foreign dignitary, and I liked him from day 1,' Trump said. 'And I like him even more now.' 'That's pretty good, that's unusual,' the president remarked. 'That's a pretty unusual thing.' Earlier this year, Macron praised Trump after Trump called for Russia and Ukraine to agree to a 30-day ceasefire or face potential sanctions. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Trump called Meloni 'a really great leader and an inspiration over there [in Italy].' 'She's served now — even though she's a very young person, she's served there for a long period of time, relative to others. They don't — they don't last very long. You've lasted a long time. You're going to be there a long time.' As the head of a far-right party, Meloni is ideologically aligned with Trump on several political and social issues. But stark differences have emerged in Meloni's unwavering support for Ukraine after Russia's invasion in February 2022. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Merz was described by Trump as 'a very strong person and a very strong leader and very highly respected in Germany, and he's my friend and it's an honor to have him as my friend, thank you very much.' Trump also added that Merz appeared 'great with' a 'tan.' Merz's election in February gave Ukraine a strong supporter in Germany. He has joined Trump's push for a ceasefire deal in the war with Russia, while also positioning Germany to better support Ukraine without the U.S. Finnish President Alexander Stubb Trump appeared confused about where Stubb was at the table during the meeting at first, with a voice chiming in a second later saying, 'I'm right here.' 'Oh, you look better than I've ever seen you look,' Trump said. 'But you've done a great job, and we wanted to have you here because you're somebody that we all respect. And you've had a lot to do with the success, I think, and the potential success, and thank you very much for being here. We appreciate it.' Stubb and Trump played golf together in March. At the time, Stubb said Trump seemed to be growing 'impatient' with Putin, who rejected a U.S. ceasefire proposal and added various conditions to a more limited deal. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen Trump noted a recent trade deal with von der Leyen, calling her 'somebody that we just made a big deal with.' 'With all of those countries, I don't know, I think you might be more powerful than all these guys at this table, I don't know,' Trump added. Von der Leyen said in a post on the social platform X on Sunday that she was joining the meeting 'at the request of President Zelenskyy.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
