An unexpected positive from the Russia-Ukraine conflict? Long standing foes Turkey and Greece have agreed to improve relations during talks yesterday in response to the deteriorating security situation in Europe, Reuters reports. “Pointing out that Turkey and Greece have a special responsibility in the changing European security architecture with Russia's attack on Ukraine, the meeting focused on the mutual and regional benefits of increasing cooperation between the two countries,” the Turkish presidency said in a statement. “It was agreed at the meeting to keep communication channels open and to improve bilateral relations.”

Eighteen months is a long time in international relations: It was only in 2020 that the two countries were on the verge of going to war over competing gas interests and territorial claims in the eastern Mediterranean.

And a big negative: The conflict is threatening to tank prospects of a nuclear agreement with Iran. The US is not willing to enter negotiations with Moscow to save the Iran nuclear agreement and could start exploring alternatives if Russia doesn’t withdraw its demand for written guarantees that its trade with Iran will not be impacted, the Wall Street Journal quoted a senior US official as saying. Negotiators trying to restore the 2015 Iran nuclear pact were forced to suspend their efforts last week after they had been close to reaching an agreement due to Russia’s last minute demands for Ukraine-related sanctions exemptions.

Iran has reacted swiftly following the suspension of talks, yesterday ending direct talks with regional rival Saudi Arabia and launching a missile strike in the Iraqi city of Erbil, targeting what it says was an Israeli “strategic center.”