Current Events

Politics professor and Middle East expert at the University of San Francisco

12 Dec 2024 5 4

Yun Sun

Inserted 7 hours ago

“Beijing will play it safe when there's no protocol or precedent for a Chinese leader to attend the inauguration of a U.S. president. I don't think the Chinese will take the risk. There could be risks in the guest list, for example. Taiwan's top diplomat in the U.S. attended the swearing-in of President Joe Biden in 2021. Should Trump slap tariffs as high as 60% on Chinese goods upon taking office as he's threatened, Xi would look like a fool if he had chosen to attend, and that's unacceptable to Beijing.”

Apnews

Director of the China programme at Washington-based think tank the Stimson Centre

12 Dec 2024 10 2

Donald Trump

Inserted 7 hours ago

“We have a good relationship with China. I have a surprising relationship. Now, when the COVID came in, I sort of cut it off. That was a step too far.”

US President-elect

12 Dec 2024 2 2

Daniel Russel

Inserted 7 hours ago

“Xi's attendance, if he accepts, could be construed as the Chinese president celebrating the triumph of a foreign leader. Can you imagine Xi Jinping sitting outdoors in Washington, DC, in January at the feet of the podium, surrounded by hawkish members of Congress, gazing up at Donald Trump as he delivers his inaugural address?”

Vice President for International Security and Diplomacy at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI)

12 Dec 2024 6 2

Scott Kennedy

Inserted 7 hours ago

“This is diplomatic theater, nothing more. Other heads of state, let alone Xi Jinping, haven't attended US presidential inaugurations.”

China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies

12 Dec 2024 4 2

Karoline Leavitt

Inserted 7 hours ago

“This [invitation for Xi Jinping to attend the inauguration ceremony] is an example of President Trump creating an open dialogue with leaders of countries that are not just our allies but our adversaries and our competitors, too.”

Trump’s incoming press secretary

12 Dec 2024 4 2

Donald Trump

Inserted 10 hours ago

“I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? We're just escalating this war and making it worse. That should not have been allowed to be done.”

US President-elect

Read the Background

12 Dec 2024 4 3

Sylvain Crépon

Inserted 13 hours ago

“Le Pen chose the least suicidal option. If the National Rally had not voted to topple the government, it would have become the party under the government's thumb, and they would have lost their protest-vote electorate, who hate Macron.”

Academic and specialist of the far right

12 Dec 2024 3 3

Bruno Jeanbart

Inserted 13 hours ago

“I think it was a difficult decision for her [Marine Le Pen], that goes against her strategy to make the National Rally more mainstream. But the pressure of the voters was getting too strong. It was more important for her to secure her core voters than to catch new ones at a time when a moderate centrist presidential candidate for 2027 hasn't yet emerged.”

OpinionWay pollster

12 Dec 2024 2 4

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

Inserted 13 hours ago

“Relations between our states are improving. Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent state visit to Astana added momentum to the advancement of strategic partnership and allied relations of our states. I feel optimistic about the future of our interaction.”

Tass

President of Kazakhstan

12 Dec 2024 4 1

Rob Geist Pinfold

Inserted 13 hours ago

“The deck is being reshuffled and all options are in play in a new Syria. I think there is some cause for optimism there in Sullivan's statement because previously, while the Assad regime was around and ISIS was very strong, while al-Qaeda was present in Syria, there were a lot of organisations the Americans would not talk to, saying they're beyond the pale, they're terrorists, they're autocrats, dictators, what have you. In this new Syria, I think it really shows you how the deck is being reshuffled and all options are in play now that the US is basically saying we're prepared to talk to all these organisations, including ones it has labelled terrorists, like HTS.”

Aje

Lecturer in international peace and security at Durham University in the UK

12 Dec 2024 9 3

Oleksandr Syrsky

Inserted 16 hours ago

“Unconventional decisions must be made to enhance the resilience of our defense and ensure more effective destruction of the occupiers. The battles are exceptionally fierce. The Russians are throwing all available forces forward, attempting to break through our defenses.”

Commander of Ukraine’s ground forces

12 Dec 2024 3 5

Antonio Rodrigue

Inserted 10 hours ago

“The security situation is only getting worse. Armed gangs are becoming increasingly violent and are operating without any fear or restraint. In spite of the embargo imposed by Security Council Resolution 2653, these weapons are coming from outside Haiti because Haiti itself doesn't manufacture any weapons at all - assault weapons and automatic weapons which were originally designed for wars and now to be found in the hands of Haitian gangs.”

Aa

Haiti's UN envoy

11 Dec 2024 5 3

Marine Le Pen

Inserted 13 hours ago

“I don't gamble, I don't play at the casino … I take political decisions. We were faced with an irresponsible budget, and we tried to be responsible.”

President of the National Rally group in the National Assembly

11 Dec 2024 1 3

Samuel Zbogar

Inserted 1 day ago

“Gaza doesn't exist any more. It is destroyed. Civilians are facing hunger, despair and death. There is no reason for this war to continue. We need a ceasefire now. We need to bring hostages home now.”

Slovenia’s UN Ambassador

Read the Background

11 Dec 2024 8 2

Michael Pillsbury

Inserted 1 day ago

“Meetings among midlevel American and Chinese officials tend to be fruitless because they have little authority to make major policy decisions. I expect that Mr. Trump would have little patience in such a format and he instead would focus on direct talks with President Xi Jinping. It's part of the American 'feel good' approach that just to have the meeting is a good thing. I think President Trump will return to the single-channel approach, that all main issues are between him and Xi Jinping.”

Senior Fellow for China Strategy at The Heritage Foundation who served as Mr. Trump’s top outside adviser on China during his first term

11 Dec 2024 7 4

Abbas Araghchi

Inserted 1 day ago

“The Israeli regime has moved to destroy almost every defense-related as well as civilian infrastructure in Syria. It has also occupied further Syrian territory in violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement and UNSCR 350. The UN Security Council - which has primary responsibility to stop unlawful aggression - is reduced to a handcuffed observer thanks to US obstruction. Syria's neighbors, as well as the Arab and Muslim worlds and indeed every UN member State that cares for rule of law, the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law cannot afford to remain indifferent. It is critical for the countries of the region to immediately and effectively mobilize and join forces to stop Israel's aggression and the destruction of Syria.”

En

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran

11 Dec 2024 9 2

Marwan Bishara

Inserted 1 day ago

“Rebuilding Syria is going to be impossible without the participation and help of regional and international donors and stakeholders: not just the economy, but also the Syrian military, because there is no country with sovereignty that does not have security. But for that to happen, the new transitional government must open up quickly to the other parts of the opposition and the other parts of Syrian society and must build bridges. Take the example of Turkiye - we all know that Turkiye came out more influential in Syria and Iran came out weaker. But Turkiye could play a major role as a neighbour, not as a dominant power. That's why I think the next government in Syria will have to deploy its security forces up to the Turkish border, there's no doubt about that. There should be no Turks, no Americans, no Israelis - no one - bombing or taking control of territory in Syria.”

Aje

Senior political analyst at Al Jazeera

11 Dec 2024 5 2

Viktor Orbán

Inserted 1 day ago

“We proposed a Christmas ceasefire and a large-scale prisoner exchange. It's sad that President Zelenskyy clearly rejected and ruled this out today. We did what we could!”

Pravda

Prime Minister of Hungary

11 Dec 2024 4 4

Asher Kaufman

Inserted 1 day ago

“Israel's prime minister is seeking to construct a favourable narrative by deploying the military in the occupied Golan Heights. The Hermon mountain range is a soft spot for the Israeli public [due to biblical references]. Netanyahu has been playing on that, using cultural elements that are very strong among the Israeli society to generate support. Netanyahu is creating a narrative that serves him very well domestically among his base and the right-wing circles.”

Aje

Director of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame

11 Dec 2024 5 3

Andrew Leung

Inserted 1 day ago

“The fact that China remains on good terms with the Taliban suggests that HTS is unlikely to pose a critical problem for China. Indeed, China's infrastructure building capacities are likely to be sought after in the war-torn Middle East.”

International and independent China strategist

11 Dec 2024 5 2

William Matthews

Inserted 1 day ago

“For China, the fall of Assad does represent the loss of a diplomatic partner. China's overall approach in the region has been one of pragmatic engagement. While the HTS is unlikely to be keen to work with China as a close partner, China will most likely seek to maintain engagement with the new government, including with a view to opportunities for cooperation. China's engagement with the Taliban in Afghanistan could provide a potential comparison but it is too early to say so definitively. Given that China has adopted a more cautious approach to overseas investments in recent years, while it is possible that China might make new investments in Syria, these will likely be calibrated against the risk of instability and potential opportunities for increased longer-term influence. Al-Assad's fall poses a challenge for China because China has growing interests in the Middle East region as an economic and development partner, and increasingly in areas such as technology and defence.”

Senior research fellow for the Asia Pacific Programme at London-based think tank Chatham House

11 Dec 2024 7 4

Reza Alijani

Inserted 1 day ago

“The axis may not have been defeated, but it has suffered a serious blow and the Islamic republics arms in the region have been deal major hits. Factions within the Islamic republic's core support base may be starting to question Khamenei's policies and vision after the recent setbacks.”

Iranian political analyst based in France

11 Dec 2024 3 4

Ali Khamenei

Inserted 1 day ago

“It should not be doubted that what happened in Syria was the product of a joint American and Zionist plot. Yes, a neighboring government of Syria plays, played, and is playing a clear role…but the main conspirator, mastermind, and command center are in America and the Zionist regime.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader

11 Dec 2024 4 2

Eve Geddie

Inserted 2 days ago

“The situation in Syria is extremely volatile. Five decades of brutality and repression cannot be undone overnight. But European governments have wasted no time halting asylum applications of Syrians. At this time of turbulence and change, countries should avoid plunging Syrian refugees and people seeking asylum into situations of further uncertainty and precarity.”

Aje

Director of Amnesty International’s European Institutions Office

10 Dec 2024 1 1

Resul Serdar

Inserted 2 days ago

“Israel's attacks on Syria are systematic. They are aiming to destroy Syria's defence bases. Israel's latest raids targeted three major airports - in Homs, Qamishli and Damascus - as well as weapons depots and other strategic military sites. Israel claims it is doing this because it is concerned that these strategic facilities and military equipment could fall into the hands of the opposition.”

Al Jazeera’s journalist reporting from Damascus, Syria

10 Dec 2024 6 2

Marina Miron

Inserted 2 days ago

“Israel is using the situation in Syria to its advantage to create a huge buffer zone. The new Syrian government will want to reassert its authority but one step at a time. If we look at such transitions, the group needs to show it can govern the country. This is a very difficult task, but this would be the most important focus internally to unite the country before Syria as a whole can reinforce its defences and formulate a stance toward Israel.”

Aje

Postdoctoral researcher in the War Studies Department at King’s College London

10 Dec 2024 3 3

Kaja Kallas

Inserted 2 days ago

“The transition will present huge challenges in Syria and in the region. There are legitimate concerns about the risks of sectarian violence, extremist resurgence and the governance vacuum, all of which must be averted. The rights of all Syrians, including those of many minority groups, must be protected. It is crucial to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria, and to respect its independence, its sovereignty, as well as the state institutions.”

Apnews

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

10 Dec 2024 6 3

Marwan Bishara

Inserted 2 days ago

“Israel believes that it can get away with the assaults it is carrying out in the region. Many of the Israeli ministers in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government perceive parts of Syria, Jordan and Lebanon as being parts of the 'greater Israel' that they were promised. They take advantage of each and every pretext, of each and every opportunity in order to expand that territory. It is something that they have their eye on, and they will continually expand, and take advantage of weaknesses around them.”

Aje

Senior political analyst at Al Jazeera

10 Dec 2024 5 5

Benjamin Netanyahu

Inserted 2 days ago

“If this regime allows Iran to re-establish itself in Syria, or permits the transfer of Iranian weapons or any other weapons to Hezbollah, or if it attacks us - we will respond forcefully, and we will exact a heavy price. What happened to the previous regime will happen to this one.”

Aje

Prime Minister of Israel

10 Dec 2024 4 3

Alexey Muravyev

Inserted 2 days ago

“I think it's more about symbolism, of how Putin effectively reacts to those who are personally loyal to him. And clearly, Assad was demonstrating personal loyalty to Putin over many years, including supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine. So this is a signal to other Russia's clients and friends in the region, in the Gulf region, in the broader Middle East, as well as in Africa, in Asia that as long as you remain loyal, we're not going to abandon you. We're not going to do what Americans do in some places. We will look after you post-factum.”

Associate Professor of National Security and Strategic Studies at Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia

10 Dec 2024 5 2

Mark Galeotti

Inserted 2 days ago

“Both bases are important to Russia. Despite Moscow's commitment to its operation in Ukraine, its concerns within Libya, Sudan, and across Central Africa are all largely dependent on its bases in Latakia. Turkiye does not allow warships to transit through the Bosphorus, meaning that, without the Russian base at Tartous, the only way of projecting naval power into the Mediterranean is through the Baltic, which is hardly ideal. Likewise, without the airbase at Hmeimim , providing air support to operations in Africa would also depend upon Turkey's goodwill, which is something unlikely to sit well with the Kremlin.”

Director of the consultancy Mayak Intelligence

10 Dec 2024 12 4

Asli Aydintasbas

Inserted 3 days ago

“The fall of Mr. al-Assad is a win for Turkey and a loss for those who tried to normalize with him. For Turkey, this is not about the border but about winning Syria. With its connections to the opposition both inside Syria and outside, Turkey will benefit politically from pushing out Iran and economically from reconstruction.”

Turkish expert at the Brookings Institution

09 Dec 2024 2 2

Lina Khatib

Inserted 3 days ago

“It will be key to see how Turkey handles its Kurdish problem, which is the main reason it got involved with Syria in the first place. If it is pragmatic, it will have great influence in Syria's politics and might pave the way for so many Syrian refugees to return home.”

Associate fellow at Chatham House

09 Dec 2024 4 3

Colin Clarke

Inserted 3 days ago

“When we start trying to divide up who the winner and who the losers are from the overthrow of the al-Assad regime, one of the big potential losers here is going to be the Kurds and one of the big potential winners is going to be Turkiye. As we know, the Kurds and the Turks have historic animosity, and Erdogan is likely to use the current impasse to push for more leverage to go after the Kurds. The Kurds have long been backed by the United States, leading to a situation in which you have two NATO allies backing different proxy groups in what's going to be a very complex situation going forward. A lot of analysts want to focus on the joy that Syrians are experiencing with freedom for the first time in five decades, and that's absolutely heartwarming, but the hard part now begins, which is putting together a cohesive entity to govern the country.”

Aje

Senior research fellow at the US-based Soufan Centre

09 Dec 2024 7 4

Vladimir Putin

Inserted 3 days ago

“I would like to point out that cooperation within the CSTO is based on the spirit of alliance, military brotherhood and mutual support. We are firmly committed to strengthening the organization, enhancing its authority and role in ensuring peace and stability in the entire Eurasian space. We unanimously call for forming a just, multipolar world order, as well as for ensuring equal and indivisible security and respect for everyone's sovereign interests and right to their own development model.”

Tass

President of Russia

09 Dec 2024 2 2

Benjamin Netanyahu

Inserted 3 days ago

“Hamas is more isolated than ever after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. It expected help from Hezbollah - we took that away. It expected help from Iran - we took that as well. It expected help from the Assad regime - okay, that won't happen anymore. The isolation of Hamas opens another opening to making progress on a deal that will bring our hostages back.”

Timesofisrael

Prime Minister of Israel

09 Dec 2024 6 3

Resul Serdar

Inserted 3 days ago

“Concerns are, of course, high as the old order collapses after 54 years. Of course, people are wondering what the new order is going to look like. Security is one of the main concerns. HTS is the main, dominant power here, militarily, and its fighters are controlling all the state buildings, facilities and strategic locations in the capital now. Their fighters are all over the streets. However, the main concern is that the opposition is extremely fragmented and every fragment of the opposition wants to be a shareholder, a stakeholder in the new Syria.”

Aje

Al Jazeera’s journalist reporting from Damascus, Syria

09 Dec 2024 1 2

Farzan Sabet

Inserted 3 days ago

“After the loss of the land corridor connecting axis members from Iran to Lebanon, we are likely to see a much-diminished resistance in the coming months and years. The axis will have a considerably lower capacity to rebuild or conduct military operations in the future. Things look equally grim for Iran's axis of resistance. Tehran will be under pressure to pull back its regional activities. Iran will seek to exploit any potential chaos in the region, including in post-Assad Syria, to reassert its influence. If the civil war in Syria is not quickly settled and a new order created, it might become precisely the type of environment where the Islamic republic has historically thrived.”

Senior research associate at the Geneva Graduate Institute

09 Dec 2024 6 4

Ali Vaez

Inserted 3 days ago

“There is no axis without access. The resistance is not done, but losing the ability to logistically support Hezbollah means the loss of Iran's strategic depth.”

International Crisis Group’s Iran Project Director and Senior Adviser to the President

09 Dec 2024 2 4

Eugene Rumer

Inserted 3 days ago

“Syria is their only real foothold in the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The rebel victory has become part of the price they are paying for the war in Ukraine. What good is Russia as a partner if it cannot save its oldest client in the Middle East from a ragtag band of militias? Besides the operational setback, it is also a diplomatic and reputational blow.”

Director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington

08 Dec 2024 4 5

Rami George Khouri

Inserted 4 days ago

“What has happened in Syria should be a wake-up call for all Arab autocrats. The region cannot endure long the reality that not a single Arab state has been credibly validated by its own people through constitutional or electoral means.”

Public policy fellow at the American University of Beirut

08 Dec 2024 3 3

Donald Tusk

Inserted 4 days ago

“The events in Syria have made the world realise once again, or at least they should, that even the most cruel regime may fall and that Russia and its allies can be defeated.”

Pravda

Polish Prime Minister

08 Dec 2024 3 2

Steve Rosenberg

Inserted 4 days ago

“The fall of the Assad regime is a blow to Russia's prestige. By sending thousands of troops to shore up President Assad in 2015, one of Russia's key objectives had been to assert itself as a global power. It was Vladimir Putin's first major challenge to the power and dominance of the West, away from the former Soviet space. And a successful one, too, so it seemed. In return for military assistance, the Syrian authorities awarded Russia 49-year leases on the air base in Hmeimim and its naval base in Tartus. Russia had secured an important foothold in the Eastern Mediterranean. The bases became hubs for transferring military contractors in and out of Africa. Assad was Russia's staunchest ally in the Middle East. The Kremlin had invested heavily in him. It had poured resources - financial, military, political - into keeping him in power. The Russian authorities will struggle to present his toppling as anything but a setback for Moscow.”

Bbc

BBC Russia editor, in Moscow

08 Dec 2024 10 3

Zein Basravi

Inserted 4 days ago

“There were two very significant things in the speech that HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani gave. He said that this was now not a Syria of vengeance, it was a country for all Syrians. He pushed this idea of Syrian multiplicity - a Syria for all Syrians should be something people focus on. But he also criticised the Iranian government and its involvement in Syria, making the point that this is no longer going to be a government that will be affected by Iran as an outside actor and that the future of Syria will be determined by Syrians themselves. He was making this point as a victor in this war, as a leader who was key in taking over one city after another. So we've seen him make this speech that was very symbolic, very significant and mirroring a lot of the feelings that people have here.”

Aje

Al Jazeera’s journalist reporting from Lebanon-Syria border

08 Dec 2024 4 4

Ursula von der Leyen

Inserted 4 days ago

“Europe is ready to support safeguarding national unity and rebuilding a Syrian state that protects all minorities. The cruel Assad dictatorship has collapsed. This historic change in the region offers opportunities but is not without risks.”

Aje

President of the European Commission

08 Dec 2024 6 1

Hugo Bachega

Inserted 4 days ago

“Many believe that this offensive could not have happened without the blessing of Turkey. For some time, President Erdogan had pressed Assad to engage in negotiations to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict that could allow the return of Syrian refugees. At least three million of them are in Turkey, and this is a sensitive issue locally. But Assad had refused to do so. Turkey, which supports some of the rebels in Syria, has denied backing HTS, the Islamist group that led the insurgency. HTS is sending conciliatory and diplomatic messages. But the dramatic changes could lead to a dangerous power vacuum and eventually result in chaos and even more violence.”

Bbc

BBC Middle East correspondent, reporting from Turkish border with Syria

08 Dec 2024 6 3

Marwan Bishara

Inserted 4 days ago

“After 60 years, more than six decades of dictatorship and repression, it's certainly earth-shattering the way everything fell apart in a dozen days. This has been long in the making. The regime, while maintaining the appearances of bravado and an attempt at confidence, turned out to be so empty - such an empty shell, it's beyond belief. If you want a bit of honesty, none of us, no one, no one that I know, expected the regime to fall so fast that the contagion would be within days and the breakdown within hours - that the fall of Damascus would come after those two decades of horrors and fears that the al-Assad regime instilled in people.”

Aje

Senior political analyst at Al Jazeera

08 Dec 2024 6 2

Israel Katz

Inserted 4 days ago

“The fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria has dealt a severe blow to the Iranian axis of evil. The octopus tentacles are being cut off one by one.”

Timesofisrael

Israeli Defence Minister

08 Dec 2024 4 2

Volodymyr Zelenskiy

Inserted 3 days ago

“We talked about our people, the situation on the battlefield, and a just peace for Ukraine. We all want to end this war as quickly and fairly as possible. President Trump, as always, is determined. We are thankful for that.”

President of Ukraine

07 Dec 2024 1 3

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Inserted 5 days ago

“Türkiye does not have eyes even on a pebble of any country. There is a new political and diplomatic reality in Syria. Syria belongs to Syrians, with all its ethnic, sectarian, and religious components. Türkiye wants to see a Syria where different identities live side by side peacefully and hopes to see such a Syria in the very near future.”

Aa

Turkish President

07 Dec 2024 2 2

Afshon Ostovar

Inserted 5 days ago

“Iran is in a bind, particularly with Donald J. Trump returning to the presidency and expected to enforce a policy of maximum pressure on Iran. Losing ground in Syria will make Iran look increasingly weak to its enemies in Tel Aviv and Washington. If Iran doubles down on Syria, it could be throwing men and materiel into a losing battle. But if Iran falls back, it will appear weak, be admitting defeat, and cede hard-fought territory to its enemies.”

Professor of national security affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and an expert on Iran’s military

07 Dec 2024 4 4

Hadi Al Bahra

Inserted 5 days ago

“Things developed very rapidly, very fast, unexpectedly [for] many people, but this is really a result of preparation, training for five years. These fighters are Syrian people, majority of them who are used to living in makeshift camps in northern Syria, so that's why you see a high motivation, because everyone wants to go back to their homes.”

Aje

President of the Syrian National Coalition

07 Dec 2024 1 2

Volodymyr Zelenskiy

Inserted 5 days ago

“A good, productive meeting with President Trump and President Macron. As always, President Trump is determined. Thank you for that. Thanks also to President Macron for organising this meeting in Paris. We talked about our people, the situation on the battlefield, and a just peace for Ukraine. We all want to end this war as quickly and fairly as possible. We agreed to continue working. Peace through strength is possible!”

Pravda

President of Ukraine

07 Dec 2024 5 3

Rafael Grossi

Inserted 5 days ago

“They were preparing, and they have all of these facilities sort of in abeyance and now they are activating that. So we are going to see. It would be a huge jump if Iran begins increasing its enrichment. Iran's decision to accelerate production of enriched uranium is in response to recent censure by the IAEA. This is a message. This is a clear message that they are responding to what they feel is pressure.”

Chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency

Read the Background

07 Dec 2024 2 2

Shin Dong-wook

Inserted 5 days ago

“Considering the chaos in state affairs, the impeachment vote is not appropriate. The impeachment tragedy should not be repeated.”

Spokesperson of the PPP

07 Dec 2024 1 2

Lee Jae-myung

Inserted 5 days ago

“PPP [People Power Party] is not a democratic party. The PPP is a criminal traitor that actively participated in the act of rebellion. We will push for the impeachment vote again and pass the impeachment by the end of this year. Han [PPP leader Han Dong-hoon] should bear historical responsibility.”

Leader of the opposition Democratic Party

Read the Background

07 Dec 2024 5 3

Yoon Seok-youl

Inserted 6 days ago

“However, the process [of declaring martial law] caused anxiety and inconvenience to the public. I sincerely apologize to the citizens who must have been startled. I will not shirk legal and political responsibility regarding the declaration of martial law. I will entrust measures on how to stabilize the political situation, including my term in office, to our party. Moving forward, our party and the government will jointly take responsibility for state affairs. Once again, I bow my head in apology for causing concern to the public.”

President of South Korea

07 Dec 2024 1 2

Elena Lasconi

Inserted 6 days ago

“The court's decision, is illegal, immoral, and crushes the very essence of democracy. The second round should have gone forward. Whether we like it or not, from a legal and legitimate standpoint, 9 million Romanian citizens, both in the country and the diaspora, expressed their preference for a particular candidate through their votes. I know I would have won. And I will win because the Romanian people know I will fight for them, that I will unite them for a better Romania.”

Apnews

President of Save Romania Union (USR)

Read the Background

06 Dec 2024 2 2

Calin Georgescu

Inserted 6 days ago

“Today, the Romanian state has trampled on democracy. We wrote history. It is time to show that we are a brave people. Democracy is under attack … On this day, the corrupt system made a pact with the devil. I have only one pact - with the Romanian people and God. The power lies in each one of us, the Romanian people do not give in. Be confident, be brave. Today is just the beginning of a new page in the history of this country.”

Independent candidate in the Romanian presidential election

Read the Background

06 Dec 2024 3 2

Fuad Hussein

Inserted 6 days ago

“The security of Syria is the linchpin to the security of the region. We in Iraq condemn these offensives. We emphasise that Iraqi territory should be protected, and Iraq cannot be part of … any war. Iraq country will protect itself from any terrorist attack.”

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq

06 Dec 2024 1 3

Resul Serdar

Inserted 6 days ago

“The Syria that were are seeing now is absolutely, radically a different Syria than [we saw] 10 days ago. [The] government's control is almost being challenged across the whole country.”

Al Jazeera’s journalist reporting from the Syria-Turkiye border

06 Dec 2024 0 2

Joshua Landis

Inserted 6 days ago

“If the opposition takes control of Homs, that would cut the main highway that goes from Damascus … to Tartous and the coastal cities where al-Assad enjoys support from the Alawite community. The capture of Homs would be a death knell, I believe, for the remaining possibility that the Syrian army would consolidate its powers and make a stand.”

University of Oklahoma professor

06 Dec 2024 6 2

Sergei Ryabkov

Inserted 6 days ago

“As for us, we are open to holding an honest dialogue that is based on mutual respect and consideration of interests. The big question is whether the new [US] administration will jump on this opportunity. By throwing shade at the current [US] administration, Trump and his camp send mixed signals, adhering to the principles of 'America first' and 'peace through strength.' This high and mighty attitude doesn't sit well with Russia.”

Tass

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister

06 Dec 2024 3 3

Donald Trump

Inserted 6 days ago

“Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe. He was a great student - Princeton/Harvard educated - with a Military state of mind. He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense, one who leads with charisma and skill. Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!”

US President-elect

06 Dec 2024 2 2

Abbas Araghchi

Inserted 6 days ago

“The first message is to support the government and nation of Syria in their fight against terrorist-Takfiri groups. The terrorist-Takfiri groups in Syria are undoubtedly carrying out these attacks as part of an American-Zionist conspiracy. Today we had good meetings in Baghdad and we reviewed bilateral issues between the two countries, and the developments in Syria were particularly discussed. There is a common understanding between the two countries with regard to the Syrian issue.”

En

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran

06 Dec 2024 5 3

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Inserted 6 days ago

“Idlib, Hama, Homs, and the target, of course, is Damascus. The opposition's march continues. Our wish is that this march in Syria continues without accidents. We made a call to Assad. We said: 'Come, let's determine the future of Syria together.' Unfortunately, we did not receive a positive response to this.”

Aa

Turkish President

06 Dec 2024 6 2

Laura Solanko

Inserted 6 days ago

“Economic growth has to slow down. But cooling growth is no sign of economic collapse. Russia can sustain broadly [the] current level of household consumption and of warfare with broadly [the] current level of economic activity.”

Expert on the Russian economy at the Bank of Finland's Institute for Economies in Transition

06 Dec 2024 1 2

Han Dong-hoon

Inserted 1 week ago

“I said yesterday that I would try not to pass this impeachment in order to prevent damage to the people and supporters caused by the unprepared chaos, but I believe that President Yoon Suk Yeol's immediate suspension of office is necessary to protect the Republic of Korea and its people in light of the newly revealed facts. Considering the newly emerging facts, I believe that a swift suspension of President Yoon Suk Yeol's duties is necessary to safeguard the Republic of Korea and its people. Yoon had not taken any personnel actions against military officials who had illegally intervened. Furthermore, he does not acknowledge that this illegal martial law is wrong.”

Theguardian

Leader of the People Power Party

06 Dec 2024 3 2

Cho Kyung-tae

Inserted 1 week ago

“The choice is between standing on the side of the people by suspending the president's duties or becoming an ally of the forces that imposed martial law is a matter for politicians to judge. I hope that all the politicians of the People's Power will stand on the side of the people.”

Bbc

People Power Party (PPP) MP

06 Dec 2024 3 2

Han Dong-hoon

Inserted 1 week ago

“Extreme actions such as the martial law declaration on Tueaday - could be repeated if Yoon remains in office. [These will] putting the Republic of Korea and its people at great risk.”

Bbc

Leader of the People Power Party

06 Dec 2024 3 2

Steven A. Cook

Inserted 1 week ago

“Russia is, of course, fully engaged in its fight in Ukraine, but it does have forces in Syria including warplanes and attack helicopters, military police, and soldiers that are spread across twenty bases. Much of the Russian military support for Assad came in the form of indiscriminate bombing of rebel areas from the air, while Hezbollah supported the regime on the ground. It is possible-indeed likely-that Russia will use the Hmeimim air base in northwestern Syria to do much of the same. Air power alone will not likely be sufficient to beat back the rebels. With government forces unable or unwilling to fight the insurgency and Hezbollah unable to muster the same forces it once did, the Russians find themselves in a difficult situation in Syria. There is no question that Moscow will want to defend its position in Syria, but it is unclear yet whether that includes defending Assad.”

Cfr

Senior fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations and the author of 'The End of Ambition: America’s Past, Present and Future in the Middle East'

05 Dec 2024 10 3

Lee Jae-myung

Inserted 1 week ago

“The declaration of martial law was a rebellion waged by the president in order to maintain or extend his power. It's an act of insurrection. It's a pro-military coup.”

Theguardian

Leader of the opposition Democratic Party

05 Dec 2024 (approx) 2 2

António Guterres

Inserted 1 week ago

“Tens of thousands of civilians are at risk in a region already on fire. We are seeing the bitter fruits of a chronic collective failure of previous de-escalation arrangements to produce a genuine nationwide ceasefire or a serious political process to implement Security Council resolutions.”

Secretary-general of the United Nations

05 Dec 2024 3 2

Sheikh Naim Qassem

Inserted 1 week ago

“They [opposition forces] will not be able to achieve their goals despite what they have done in past days, and we as Hezbollah will be by Syria's side in thwarting the goals of this aggression as much as we can. The aggression is sponsored by the United States and Israel.”

Hezbollah’s secretary-general

05 Dec 2024 4 3

Gideon Sa'ar

Inserted 1 week ago

“We may have an opportunity now for a hostage deal. Israel is serious about reaching a hostage deal and I hope we can do this - and do it as soon as possible.”

Aje

Foreign Affairs Minister of Israel

05 Dec 2024 2 1

Eom Gyeong-yeong

Inserted 1 week ago

“Whether the Assembly passes the motion hinges on Yoon's latest approval rating to be released on Friday. If Yoon's approval rating falls below 10 percent on Friday, it's highly likely that the impeachment motion will be passed on Saturday. Lawmakers, especially those in rural areas, are very sensitive to the public sentiment and polls. Although the PPP is discussing follow-up measures after the martial law chaos, their actions are falling short of public expectations.”

Director of the Zeitgeist Institute, a private political think tank

05 Dec 2024 5 2

Rhee Jong-hoon

Inserted 1 week ago

“I think the motion will likely be passed if the ruling party leaves the choice up to PPP lawmakers themselves. Even some lawmakers from the pro-Yoon faction are deliberating whether to vote for impeachment. But I heard that the ruling party may block its members from entering the plenary session on Saturday. In that case, things may get tricky. But opposition parties will likely submit the motion again and again until it is passed.”

Political commentator

05 Dec 2024 3 2

Park Chan-dae

Inserted 1 week ago

“As Han [PPP leader Han Dong-hoon] said, the martial law was an unconstitutional, illegal act. The PPP's official stance to oppose the impeachment means they agree with the martial law or are complicit in treason.”

Democratic Party floor leader

05 Dec 2024 4 3

Han Dong-hoon

Inserted 1 week ago

“As the ruling party leader, I will work to ensure that the impeachment motion does not pass, in order to prevent damage to the people and supporters (of the ruling bloc) that would arise from unexpected chaos. I'm not trying to advocate unconstitutional martial law. Those responsible for causing chaos by declaring unconstitutional martial law, including the president, must be held strictly accountable. But we need to prevent a force that attemps to take power to escape criminal charges [This refers to DPK leader Lee Jae-myung, who is expected to become the next president and is currently on trial for multiple criminal charges].”

Leader of the People Power Party

05 Dec 2024 2 2

Jo Seoung-lae

Inserted 1 week ago

“We want to give enough time to PPP [People Power Party] lawmakers to deliberate over their decision on Yoon's unconstitutional coup attempt or treason charge. Now is the time to act according to one's conscience, not based on political interests.”

Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) spokesman

05 Dec 2024 3 3

Resul Serdar

Inserted 1 week ago

“In just over a week they have managed to take full control of Syria's second-largest city, Aleppo, and now the fourth-largest city [Hama]. The opposition also took over the city's military airport, a significant and one of the largest in Syria that has been used by government forces to launch strikes against rebels.”

Al Jazeera’s journalist reporting from the Turkish city of Kilis, on the border with Syria

05 Dec 2024 2 2

Michel Barnier

Inserted 1 week ago

“I cannot accept the idea that institutional destabilization could be the objective that brings together a majority of lawmakers at a moment when our country faces a deep moral, economic, financial and civic crisis.”

French Prime Minister

Read the Background

04 Dec 2024 1 2

Sung Hee Park

Inserted 1 week ago

“The media's aggressive and critical response to the declaration of martial law showed that Korea's press freedom is alive and well. South Koreans are very digitally connected and any attempt to suppress or dominate the flow of information cannot easily succeed.”

Professor of media at Ewha Womans University in Seoul

04 Dec 2024 3 3

Ahn Byong-jin

Inserted 1 week ago

“He [Yoon Suk Yeol] must have felt that he was surrounded by enemies and that he must make a bold decision. But it's mind-boggling that he didn't know how it would be received by the National Assembly and the people.”

Political scientist at Kyung Hee University in Seoul

04 Dec 2024 2 2

Sung Deuk Hahm

Inserted 1 week ago

“The best option for Mr. Yoon is to resign. As tragic as it may seem, what happened overnight showed the resilience and durability of South Korean democracy. The president appeared to grow increasingly despondent in recent months, particularly over escalating scandals surrounding him and his wife and the relentless political pressure from the opposition. Things have become too much for him. He became mentally unstable under political pressure.”

Professor of political science at Kyonggi University

04 Dec 2024 4 2

Mark Rutte

Inserted 1 week ago

“There was a clear agreement around the table last night that to help Ukraine, particularly with its infrastructure, has to be a priority. I'm confident that allies will follow up in the coming days and weeks in making sure that whatever they can supply to Ukraine will be supplied.”

Secretary General of NATO

04 Dec 2024 1 1

Israel Katz

Inserted 1 week ago

“The most important thing today in the war is to bring the hostages home. This is the supreme goal that stands before us, and we are working in every way to make this happen. The intensity of the pressure on this monstrous organisation called Hamas is increasing and there is a chance that this time we can really advance a hostage deal.”

Aje

Israeli Defence Minister

04 Dec 2024 2 1

Jo Seoung-lae

Inserted 1 week ago

“We'll seek Yoon to be punished for treason for the unconstitutional, illegal martial law. We'll file a complaint against Yoon, Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun and Interior Minister Lee Sang-min, and seek to impeach them.”

Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) spokesman

04 Dec 2024 3 2

Han Dong-hoon

Inserted 1 week ago

“As the ruling party, we deeply apologise to the public for this distressing situation. We will do our part as the ruling party to minimize the economic and diplomatic damage. We are committed to uncovering the full details of how this situation arose and taking the necessary measures.”

Aje

Leader of the People Power Party

04 Dec 2024 1 2

Darcie Draudt-Véjares

Inserted 1 week ago

“President Yoon Suk-yeol's miscalculation reveals the depth of his administration's crisis and desperation to deal with political turmoil within his own party. Yoon has been facing opposition not just from outside his party but also within - including from his own party chair Han Dong-hoo - amid a growing number of scandals. This attempt to override democratic institutions suggests either desperate overreach or grievous undemocratic impulses. The swift lifting of the martial law order and the past three decades have shown that South Koreans will not tolerate democratic backsliding - even if its leaders from Yoon to the ousted President Park Geun-hye fail them.”

Aje

Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Asia Program

03 Dec 2024 4 2

Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Inserted 1 week ago

“The Syrian regime must engage in a genuine political process to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.”

Middleeasteye

Turkish President

03 Dec 2024 2 2

Jean H. Lee

Inserted 1 week ago

“It was a gamble he took to try to impose political control at a time when he feels frustrated by his inability to carry out his vision for the country. But at the end of the day. President Yoon values South Korea's alliance with the United States, its place in the world as a leading global economy and its reputation as a vibrant democracy in Asia.”

Korea expert at the East-West Center in Hawaii

03 Dec 2024 3 2

Jenny Town

Inserted 1 week ago

“The move appeared desperate and dangerous and could spell the beginning of the end of Yoon's presidency. He was already unpopular, but this might just be the final straw to move impeachment processes forward.”

Korea specialist, Senior Fellow at StimsonCenter, Director of 38 North

03 Dec 2024 4 2

Mason Richey

Inserted 1 week ago

“For a president [Yoon Suk Yeol] who has focused so much on Korea's international reputation, this makes Korea look very unstable. This will have a negative effect on financial and currency markets and Korea's diplomatic place in the world.”