At NATO Headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday the Permanent Representatives of the 29 members of the Alliance signed the Accession Protocol for the future Republic of North Macedonia. The ceremony took place in the presence of Macedonian Foreign Minister Nikola Dimitrov.

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras paid a symbolic visit to Istanbul’s former cathedral Hagia Sophia on Wednesday on a trip aimed at improving ties with Turkey, long strained by disputes over territory, energy exploration and Cyprus. Tsipras met Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Tuesday, where the Turkish president said he expected more cooperation from Athens in the repatriation of eight soldiers who fled to Greece following an attempted coup in 2016.

Israel announced it has started reinforcing its border fence with the Gaza Strip, erecting a galvanised steel barrier six-metre high that will run the length of territory. According to officials the "above-ground barrier" is aimed at preventing Palestinians, or as Israel calls them - 'terrorists',  from infiltrating the Jewish state's territory.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro rejected Sunday the ultimatum by EU Member States to call snap elections after opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself the Latin American country's legitimate leader. France, Germany and Spain had given Maduro until midnight on Sunday to call a presidential election, or they would recognise Guaido as the interim president. But a defiant Maduro said in an interview with Spanish television station Sexta that he would not "cave in to pressure" from those calling for his departure.

Anti-corruption candidate Nayib Bukele has claimed victory in El Salvador's presidential election. With almost all votes counted, the former mayor of San Salvador had almost 54% of the vote with his closest rival, the conservative Carlos Calleja on 32%.

US President Donald Trump said that sending the military to Venezuela was “an option” as Western nations boost pressure on socialist leader Nicolas Maduro to hand over power to opposition leader and self-proclaimed President Juan Guaido,  Reuters reported.

The ‘Third Brussels Conference on supporting the future of Syria and the region’ will take place from 12 to 14 March, Federica Mogherini, the EU’s foreign policy chief announced. More information about the preparations and the concept of the conference in the Belgian capital will be presented in the coming weeks.

Russia has suspended the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, President Vladimir Putin announced on Saturday, after the United States said it would withdraw from the arms control pact, accusing Moscow of violations, Reuters reported.

On Wednesday, 6 February, the Permanent Representatives to NATO of the 29 members of the Alliance will sign the Accession Protocol with Skopje, was announced on the pact’s website on Saturday.

Kosovo is ready for a compromise deal with Serbia to resolve long-standing issues between the countries, President Hashim Thaci said in a letter to US President Donald Trump. “I will be ready and willing to make compromises necessary to reach a comprehensive and balanced settlement that will encompass all outstanding issues,” Thaci said in a letter dated 8 January, but published only now.