Turkey
Pope Leo will visit Lebanon, which is under pressure from Israeli airstrikes, to address the country with a call for peace. This will be the second stage of his first foreign trip, following a visit to Turkey.
SBU Sea Baby naval drones hit two sanctioned oil tankers, KAIRO and VIRAT, in the Black Sea. This was a joint operation of the 13th Main Directorate of Military Counterintelligence of the SBU with the Ukrainian Navy.
The Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure reported a repeated hit on the vessel "Virat," which resulted in minor damage to its starboard side. The fire on the tanker "Kairos," which caught fire during a voyage between Egypt and Russia, was also extinguished, and the crew was evacuated.
Two tankers, Kairos and Virat, carrying Russian oil and under sanctions, exploded off the coast of Turkey in the Black Sea. The causes of the incidents are unknown, and a rescue operation is underway.
North of the Turkish coast, the tanker Kairos, part of Russia's shadow fleet, was damaged and caught fire. The vessel, which is under EU and UK sanctions, was not carrying cargo at the time of the incident.
An Italian court has ruled that plans to build a bridge between mainland Italy and Sicily violate environmental regulations and EU tender rules. The country's government is not abandoning the project, which is set to become the longest in the world and contribute to the region's economic development.
Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I visited Iznik, Turkey, to commemorate the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. They prayed together for Christian unity at the site where the Nicene Creed was formulated.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan praised Pope Leo's approach to the Palestinian issue and his calls for peace in Ukraine. He expressed hope that the new Catholic leader's first foreign visit would contribute to world peace.
Pope Leo XIV arrived in Turkey, beginning his first foreign trip, where he will mark the anniversary of Christianity. He will then travel to Lebanon after Israeli airstrikes on Beirut, where he will hold meetings with religious leaders and youth.
The Turkish Ministry of Defense stated that a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia is a mandatory condition for discussing the deployment of "assurance forces. " Ankara is ready for discussion, but only after clear conditions for the mission are established.
After Hamas handed over the remains of an Israeli hostage the day before, in response, the Israelis handed over the remains of 15 Palestinians to Gaza. The transfer took place as part of the ceasefire agreement, the first phase of which is nearing its end.
Ukrainian airline XENA, the only commercial operator of the AN-32P aircraft, set efficiency records in the 2025 season. The company performed 450 missions, carried out 434 drops, and delivered 3.472 million liters of water, maintaining a zero accident rate.
European leaders, including France and Great Britain, are discussing the creation of multinational military forces to support Ukraine after a peace agreement with Russia. A working group has been established to clarify the details of military assistance, which may include troop deployment and air support.
Turkey seeks to facilitate direct contacts between the parties to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. President Erdogan maintains contact with both the Ukrainian and Russian sides.
Pope Leo embarks on his first foreign trip to Turkey and Lebanon from November 27 to December 2. He will call for peace and unity among branches of Christianity, meet with government officials, and visit cultural sites.
Israel received another batch of human remains from Palestinian militants via the Red Cross. The remains will be sent for forensic examination for identification, but it is unknown whether they belong to the three hostages who remain in the Gaza Strip.
Officials from Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar met in Cairo to discuss the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. They agreed to strengthen coordination and cooperation to ensure the continuity of the truce and counter violations by Israel.
Forest fires in northern Iran have approached the unique Hyrcanian Forests, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Due to a lack of resources, the government has appealed to Turkey and Russia for assistance.
Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan exchanged views on the situation in Ukraine, including American proposals for a peaceful settlement. The Turkish president expressed his readiness to facilitate the negotiation process by providing the Istanbul platform.
A new feature has been launched on the X platform that automatically determines the country based on the user's IP address. It revealed that popular pro-MAGA accounts are registered in Thailand, Nigeria, Turkey, and other countries.
Turkish President Erdogan will discuss the war in Ukraine and the grain corridor with Vladimir Putin on November 24. This conversation will take place after Erdogan's meeting with Zelenskyy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy faces the most painful choice: to agree to a peace deal that involves giving up part of Donbas, or to continue the war. This is due to new efforts by the Trump administration for a peace deal that involves compromises from Ukraine.
Turkey has been granted the right to host and lead the next UN climate talks – COP31, following an agreement between Turkey and Australia. Australia will assume the role of "Negotiations President," but its responsibilities remain partially undefined.
Hollywood film company Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. has filed a lawsuit against Turkish national football team player Kerem Aktürkoğlu. The reason was his unauthorized use of elements from the "Harry Potter" film series on social media.
Great Britain has identified units and headquarters locations for troop deployment in Ukraine as part of a 30-country coalition. Plans include training Ukrainian troops within the country and coordinating multinational forces.
Germany is urging the European Union to reach an agreement with the United Kingdom on access to the EU defense fund by the end of the month. This would allow the UK to participate in the €150 billion fund designed to strengthen European defense.
Israel attacked Gaza on November 20, killing five and wounding 18 people in Khan Yunis. The IDF stated that the strikes were in response to Palestinian militants firing at Israeli troops.
Turkey will host the UN climate summit next year, and Australia will lead intergovernmental negotiations. This compromise agreement will resolve the standoff between countries over hosting COP31.
Political scientist Oleh Lisnyi emphasizes that all discussions about the US peace plan revolve around rumors. He also points out that Ukraine's position remains unchanged.
The Ukrainian national team will face Sweden in the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers play-offs. If they win, Ukraine will play in the final against the winner of the Poland – Albania match.