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☆ Trump will quit NATO, Hillary Clinton says, as anxiety mounts over U.S. commitment to the alliance
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"He will pull us out of NATO," Clinton told attendees during a lunchtime session. watch nowU.S. Republican Senator Jim Risch, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, on Saturday dismissed talk of the U.S. quitting NATO, saying: "We have answered that question." Clinton said, however, that Trump could actually just refuse to fund the alliance. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte earlier Saturday referenced constant "moaning and whining" at the event about the future of NATO under Trump. Indeed, Germany's defense minister said that his country's commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defense should be just the start, noting that the threshold could rise to 3.5% if necessary.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Raedle, Hillary Clinton, Clinton, doesn't, Jim Risch, Trump, Europe's, Mark Rutte, Olaf Scholz, Mette Frederiksen, Frederiksen, Jens Stoltenberg, CNBC's Silvia Amaro Organizations: U.S, Getty, NATO, Saturday, White, Munich Security Conference, Trump, Congress, Republican, Foreign Relations, United States Senate, CNBC, U.S . House, Representatives, Dutch, Danish Locations: Lago, West Palm Beach , Florida, MUNICH, Germany, U.S, Russia, Munich, Ukraine, Europe, NATO, United States

☆ Navalny’s body should be handed over to his family ‘immediately,’ Navalny spokesperson says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Darya Tarasova | Radina Gigova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The body of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny should be handed over to his family “immediately,” his spokesperson Kira Yarmysh said Saturday, adding his mother has been officially notified of his death. “An employee of the colony said that the body of Navalny is now in Salekhard. “We demand that Alexey Navalny’s body be handed over to his family immediately,” Yarmysh said. The death of Navalny, 47, was announced on Friday by the Russian prison service but Yarmysh’s comments mark the first confirmation from his team. The Russian prison service on Friday said Navalny “felt unwell after a walk” and “almost immediately” lost consciousness.

Persons: Alexey Navalny, “, ”, Kira Yarmysh, “ Alexey Navalny, ” Yarmysh, Alexey Navalny’s, Navalny, Navalny “, ” Navalny, Putin, Navalnvy, Joe Biden, Jens Stoltenberg Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, NATO Locations: Salekhard, Russia, Germany, Soviet

“I’ll pay for travel and accommodation.”A resident of Avdiivka, Ukraine, near destroyed buildings on February 14. Other footage collected by Ukrainian units shows scenes of devastation, with high-rise buildings covered in holes from the constant Russian barrages. Ukrainian servicemen of the 47th Mechanized Brigade prepare for combat in a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, near to Avdiivka, on February 11, 2024. CNN cannot independently verify the claim, though recent combat footage geolocated to the town suggests Russia continues to suffer heavy losses even while it makes territorial gains there. “Our soldiers are demonstrating unprecedented heroism.”Vasco Cotovio wrote in London, Olga Voitovych and Svietlana Vlasova reported from Kyiv, Ukraine.

Persons: ”, Oleksandr Syrskyi, Rustem, ” Syrskyi, “, Syrskyi, He’s, Volodymyr Zelensky, ” Zelensky, Maksym Zhorin, It’s, Zhorin, ‘ I’m, “ I’m, Kostiantyn, there’s, Avdiivka, Trump, Putin, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, Genya Savilov, Andrii, ” Vasco Cotovio, Olga Voitovych, Svietlana Vlasova Organizations: CNN, Ukraine’s Defense, Separate, Brigade, —, Russian, Kyiv falters, United, NATO, 47th Mechanized Brigade, Bradley, Getty, 3rd Brigade Locations: Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Ukraine, Moscow, Donetsk city, Bakhmut, Russia, Kherson, Donetsk, Brussels, Hungary, Washington, Kyiv, United States, AFP, ”, London

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — World leaders and Russian opposition activists wasted no time Friday in blaming the reported death of imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny on President Vladimir Putin and his government. Navalny was “brutally murdered by the Kremlin,” said Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Other Russian opposition activists echoed him. “If it is confirmed, the death of Alexei is a murder. Organized by Putin,” opposition politician Dmitry Gudkov said on social media.

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Vladimir Putin, Putin, ”, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “ Putin, —, ” Zelenskyy, Olaf Scholz, ” Scholz, Navalny, “, Edgars Rinkēvičs, Ivan Zhdanov, hasn’t, Alexei, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Dmitry Gudkov, Garry Kasparov, ” Kasparov, Pyotr Verzilov, “ Navalny, Verzilov, Ursula von der Leyen, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, Jake Sullivan Organizations: Kremlin, EU, NATO, National, NPR Locations: TALLINN, Estonia, Russian, Berlin, Russia, Navalny, Germany

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny attends a rally in support of political prisoners in Prospekt Sakharova Street in Moscow, Russia on September 29, 2019. Sefa Karacan | Anadolu | Getty ImagesWorld leaders and the wife of prominent Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny reacted with dismay and suspicion to reports of the Kremlin critic's death in a Siberian penal colony. Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny's wife, was greeted on Friday with a standing ovation as she addressed the Munich Security Conference. "Alexei Navalny has been a strong voice for freedom, for democracy, for many years, and NATO and NATO allies have called for his immediate release for a long time." "We'll be talking to the many other countries concerned about Alexei Navalny, especially if these reports bear out to be true."

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Sefa, Yulia Navalnaya, Navalnaya, Vladimir Putin, Putin, …, Kai Pfaffenbach, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin —, Navalny's, Navalny, Kamala Harris, Washington, Jens Stoltenberg, Yulia Morozova, Ursula von der Leyen, von der Leyen, Antony Blinken, Rishi Sunak, Olaf Scholz Organizations: Anadolu, Getty, Munich Security, Reuters, Ministry, Munich, NATO, IK Locations: Moscow, Russia, Munich, Germany, Vladimir, Russian

It does not participate in NATO’s nuclear planning group. Talk of a European nuclear umbrella has come from, among others, German members of the European Parliament. But Chancellor OIaf Scholz and other top security policy officials believe there is no alternative to NATO’s nuclear umbrella. NATO’s nuclear deterrence relies in part on U.S. warheads deployed in Europe using local infrastructure. NATO conducts a major nuclear exercise every year to ensure its readiness and to act as a deterrent to any would-be aggressor, primarily Russia.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jens Stoltenberg, that’s, ”, United Kingdom –, ” Stoltenberg, “, Emmanuel Macron, OIaf Scholz, Boris Pistorius, shouldn’t, who’s, Trump, Joe Biden, Stoltenberg, ” Pistorius, Robert Habeck, ___ Moulson, Sylvie Corbet Organizations: NATO, German, Republican, Welt, Washington, Associated Locations: BRUSSELS, United States, Europe, Ukraine, U.S, Brussels, North America, France, United Kingdom, Russia, European, Berlin

☆ NATO: Higher defense spending is no magic bullet after Trump’s attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

It’s first worth noting which countries have most dramatically increased their defense spending since the invasion of Ukraine. Yves Herman/ReutersTrump’s well-documented comments about NATO and European defense spending woke them up from that slumber. The example many point to is a deal struck earlier this year between multiple European countries to buy 1,000 Patriot missiles. “Pensions for soldiers are useful, sure, but they are not going to shoot a Russian,” a European security official told CNN. But it will be worth it, if countries don’t get bored and work together.

Persons: Donald Trump, ”, don’t, Jens Stoltenberg, It’s, Yves Herman, Reuters Trump’s, Theresa May, Trump, EMMANUEL DUNAND, Malcolm Chalmers, Russia – Organizations: CNN, NATO, Reuters, Patriot, Inter, Officials, New Nato Force Model, Getty, Royal United Services Institute, Pensions, “, Diplomats Locations: Russia, NATO, Europe, Ukraine, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, Romania, Hungary, Latvia, Slovakia, America, Germany, AFP, European, France, China

MUNICH (AP) — Long regarded as a celebration of the U.S.-led post-World War II international order, the Munich Security Conference this year will be more of a reflection of America’s political turmoil. And overshadowing it all will be Trump’s threat to not automatically come to the defense of European allies should they be attacked by Russia. That is a cornerstone of NATO’s founding treaty, which has taken on additional significance since Russia’s full-scale attack on Ukraine in 2022. Blinken, too, will be conveying that message in Munich, according to the top U.S. diplomat for Europe, James O’Brien. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz assailed Trump’s comments.

Persons: — Long, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Antony Blinken, Alejandro Mayorkas, Adolf Hitler, Harris, Blinken, laud, Trump, Joe Biden, Biden, Jake Sullivan, ”, James O’Brien, O’Brien, “, Olaf Scholz, Trump’s, Jens Stoltenberg Organizations: Munich Security, Homeland, Republican, Nazi Party, laud American, Republicans, NATO, Democratic Locations: MUNICH, U.S, Munich, Russia, Ukraine, Gaza, Bavarian, Europe, Congress, United States, Finland, Sweden

☆ NATO: Record 18 states expected to meet 2% defense spending threshold this year
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( James Frater | Joshua Berlinger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Eighteen of NATO’s 31 members are expected to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense this year, the treaty organization’s leader said on Wednesday. “That is another record number and a six-fold increase from 2014 when only three allies met their target,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday ahead of a meeting between the alliance’s defense ministers in Brussels. Former US President Donald Trump, who is running for reelection in November, brought renewed scrutiny to the issue of defense spending among NATO members last weekend, when he said at a rally he would encourage Russia to do “whatever the hell they want” to any NATO member country that doesn’t meet spending guidelines on defense – effectively undercutting the collective defense clause at the heart of the treaty. The German Defense Ministry said Wednesday that its 2024 budget will see its defense spending meet the 2% threshold for the first time since the early 1990s. NATO as a whole is expected to reach the 2% threshold for the first time this year.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Donald Trump, –, Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, ” Organizations: CNN, NATO, Allies, German Defense Ministry Locations: Brussels, Russia, Canada, Germany

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday that European allies and Canada have ramped up defense spending to record levels, as he warned that former U.S. President Donald Trump was undermining their security by calling into question the U.S. commitment to its allies. In 2014, NATO leaders committed to move toward spending 2% of their gross domestic product on defense within a decade. It has mostly been slow going, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago focused minds. “This year I expect 18 allies to spend 2% of the GDP on defense. That is another record number and a six-fold increase from 2014 when only three allies met the target,” Stoltenberg said.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Donald Trump, Stoltenberg, “, ” Stoltenberg, Joe Biden, ” Organizations: — NATO, NATO, Trump, Republican Locations: BRUSSELS, Canada, Crimean, Ukraine, Brussels, U.S, Russia

☆ NATO chief concedes 'valid point' of spending criticism as allies up defense budgets
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a press conference on the third day of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meeting, in Marrakech, Morocco, October 11, 2023. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg conceded to criticism that some members have been underfinancing the coalition's defense budget, saying he expects a record 18 allies to meet their military spending goal this year. "The criticism that you hear is not primarily about NATO, it's about NATO allies not spending enough on NATO. And that's a valid point," Stoltenberg said during a press briefing on Wednesday, in response to a question on whether Trump's comments aligned with the broader views of Republican officials that the NATO chief has engaged. "The good news is that this is exactly what NATO allies are now doing."

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Donald Trump, Stoltenberg, " Stoltenberg Organizations: NATO, International Monetary Fund, Bank Locations: Marrakech, Morocco, Canada

☆ Fact check: Debunking five false Trump claims about NATO
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Daniel Dale | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

And Trump has for years made a variety of other false claims about spending by NATO and its members. As of 2023, 11 of 30 NATO members were meeting the 2% target, NATO estimates show. NATO members’ spending before Trump took officeAs president, Trump claimed that NATO members’ spending had declined “every single year” until he took office in 2017. Facts First: Trump’s claims that NATO members’ spending had declined every year until he took office are false. After referring to NATO members Trump said he pressured himself, he continued: “And then I hear that they like Obama better.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump, ”, Russia “, didn’t, –, Stephen Saideman, ” Saideman, Erwan, George Washington University’s, ” Lagadec, “, recommitted, Jens Stoltenberg, Saideman, “ Putin, Joe Biden, Lagadec, Barack Obama, Obama, George W, Bush, we’ve, ” Bush Organizations: Washington CNN, Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, CNN, Trump, International Affairs, Carleton University, Elliott School of International Affairs, Transatlantic, Ukraine ”, NATO –, “, ”, EU Locations: Russia, Wales, Canada, Brussels, Ukraine’s Crimea, –, Crimea, Europe, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Germany, Belgium, Czech Republic, Romania

☆ Trump’s NATO comments stir up a political storm as Russia keeps quiet
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Sam Meredith | Www.Linkedin.Com In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Former U.S. president Donald Trump pictured during a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at Winfield House, London on Dec. 3, 2019. She added that the NATO alliance "allows us to prevent war." The defense spending target is not a requirement and many countries have sought to ramp up their military spending since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. NATO's so-called Article 5 mutual defense clause means that an attack against one NATO member is considered an attack against all allies. "NATO cannot be an 'a la carte' military alliance ... depending on the humor of the president of the U.S.," Borrell said when asked to respond to Trump's comments, Reuters reported.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jens Stoltenberg, NICHOLAS KAMM, Trump, …, Vladimir, Dmitry Peskov, Trump's, Joe Biden, Biden, Nikki Haley, Haley, Chris Christie, I've, Jake Sullivan, Dursun, Stoltenberg, NATO Ally, Josep Borrell, Borrell Organizations: U.S, NATO, Winfield House, AFP, Getty, Former, Statista, Russia, Reuters, Top, Democratic, Republican, South Carolina Gov, CBS, NBC News, US National Security, North Atlantic Council, Anadolu Locations: London, Former U.S, South Carolina, Russia, U.S, United States, Brussels, Belgium, Canada, France, Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, NATO's

☆ Trump's comments about allowing Russia to attack NATO countries are 'appalling and unhinged,' the White House says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe White House said former President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the US could let Russia attack non-paying NATO countries is "appalling and unhinged." Trump says he would encourage Russia to attack NATO allies: I said I would not protect our NATO allies. AdvertisementAs president, Trump frequently criticized NATO and threatened to withdraw from the alliance. A top European Union official recently revealed that as president, Trump told him the US would “never” help Europe if it was under attack. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg recently warned of widespread implications for Europe if Putin succeeds in Ukraine.

Persons: —, Donald Trump’s, Trump, he’d, ”, we're, ak1a3Mtwzq — Biden, Harris, White, Andrew Bates, Biden, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg Organizations: Service, NATO, Business, American, Abrams, Reuters, Trump, NATO Nations, European Union, Republicans, Congress Locations: Russia, South Carolina, Adazi, Latvia, Soviet, Europe, Germany, Ukraine

☆ NATO leader says Trump puts allies at risks by saying Russia can 'do whatever the hell they want’
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump attends a Nevada caucus night party at Treasure Island Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. February 8, 2024. The NATO leader warned Sunday that Donald Trump was putting the safety of U.S. troops and their allies at risk after the Republican presidential front-runner said Russia should be able to do "whatever the hell they want" to alliance members who don't meet their defense spending targets. Speaking Saturday at a rally in Conway, South Carolina, Trump recalled how as president he told an unidentified NATO member that he would "encourage" Russia to do as it wishes in cases of NATO allies who are "delinquent." NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the 31 allies are committed to defending each other. Any attack on NATO will be met with a united and forceful response," Stoltenberg said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Władysław Kosiniak, Kamysz, Trump, Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg Organizations: NATO, Republican, . Defense Locations: Nevada, Treasure, Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S, Russia, Poland, Europe, Conway , South Carolina

You gotta pay your bills.’”NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the 31 allies are committed to defending each other. Photos You Should See View All 21 Images“NATO remains ready and able to defend all allies. Under NATO’s mutual defense clause, Article 5 of its founding treaty, all allies commit help of any member who comes under attack. Article 5 has only ever been activated once – by the U.S. in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. NATO has undertaken its biggest military buildup since the Cold War since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Persons: Donald Trump, Władysław Kosiniak, Kamysz, “, Trump, ”, ’ ” Trump, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg, Putin, ___ Cook, Kirsten Grieshaber Organizations: NATO, Republican, . Defense, ”, ’, Foreign Ministry, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Trump, Associated Press Locations: WARSAW, Poland, U.S, Russia, Europe, Conway , South Carolina, ” Russia, NATO, Anchorage, Erzurum, Baltic, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moscow, Soviet Union, Ukraine, Ukraine’s Crimean, Brussels, Berlin

The governing Fidesz party, which holds an absolute majority in parliament, has stalled Sweden’s bid since July 2022, alleging that Swedish politicians have told “blatant lies” about the condition of Hungary’s democracy. “The prime minister pledged to convene parliament to urge parliament to act at its earliest opportunity. Kristersson has said that he will make the trip, but only after Hungary approves his country's NATO membership. But Vadai, the lawmaker, said that there was no guarantee that Orbán's party would commit to a swift approval. “I’m not sure whether the opening session will start with the Swedish ratification, unfortunately,” she said.

Persons: Viktor Orbán, Hungary's, Orbán, Jens Stoltenberg, ”, didn't, David Pressman, Pressman, expeditiously, Sen, Ben Cardin, Agnes Vadai, “, it’s, Ulf Kristersson, Kristersson, “ I’m Organizations: — Lawmakers, NATO, Fidesz, U.S, Maryland Democrat, Senate Foreign Relations, ”, Democratic Coalition, Associated Press, Swedish Locations: BUDAPEST, Hungary, Hungarian, United States, NATO, U.S, Maryland, Budapest, Swedish, Hungary's

☆ The US must stop Russia, or China will learn that it pays to use force against America's interests, NATO chief says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewA Russian victory against Ukraine would embolden China, says NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. The NATO chief told Fox News in an interview on Sunday that China could invade Taiwan if Russia wins the war. "While Russia may pose the most immediate challenge, China is the bigger long-term threat," Burns wrote in his article. Representatives for NATO did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

Persons: —, Jens Stoltenberg, " Stoltenberg, Putin, Let's, Stoltenberg, Putin doesn't, Shannon Bream, Stoltenberg's, William J, Burns, Wu Qian Organizations: Service, Ukraine, Heritage Foundation, Business, NATO, Fox News, it's, CIA, Affairs, Asia, Business Insider Locations: China, NATO, Europe, Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine, it's Ukraine

☆ Ukraine: Europe is braced for a showdown on funding
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says he doesn’t oppose European funding for Ukraine, but is insisting that the money should not come out of the EU’s budget. It is widely suspected that Orban is using his veto on the funds for Ukraine to force Brussels into unlocking the money for Hungary. Beyond Europe, there are also major concerns about what a second Donald Trump presidency would mean for Ukraine and European security as a whole. As the Ukraine crisis approaches the two-year mark it is becoming increasingly difficult for Europe to manage. On the other, the consequences of Ukraine losing the war could be unconscionable for the rest of Europe.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Orban, Critics, Balázs, “, Jens Stoltenberg, Francois Mori, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Trump, Putin Organizations: CNN —, European Union, Kyiv, EU, CNN, Financial Times, Ukraine, “, NATO, Getty, Hungarian, European Council, Foreign Affairs Locations: Brussels, Ukraine, Hungary, Russian, United States, Washington, Hungarian, “ Brussels, there’s, Budapest, Kyiv, AFP, Russia, Israel, EU, Europe

President Joe Biden said Tuesday that he has made a decision on how to respond to the drone attack that killed three U.S. soldiers and injured dozens of others at a base in northeast Jordan. In initial remarks about the attack, Biden asked for a moment of silence at a South Carolina church event for the "three brave souls" who died. "We shall respond," Biden said. Kirby said Monday that Biden was working through his options for retaliation and stressed that the administration doesn't "want a wider war with Iran." We don't want a wider war in the region, but we've got to do what we have to do," he added.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, IRNA, John Kirby, Kirby, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Jens Stoltenberg, we've Organizations: White, Hamas, NBC, U.S . Central Command, United Nations, Reuters, National Security, Air Force One, NATO, Lawmakers Locations: Washington ,, Jordan, Iran, U.S, Israel, Iraq, Syria, Al, Dover , Delaware, South Carolina, Tehran, Yemen, Red

CNN —The three US soldiers killed in the drone attack on a US military outpost in Jordan were identified Monday as Sgt. US Army Reserve Command, APSingh said more than 40 were injured in the attack, a number that could possibly continue to increase. The enemy drone also flew low, which may have allowed it to evade the base’s air defenses, officials said. A US official told CNN that there have been six attacks since Friday, including Sunday’s drone attack and a multi-rocket attack on Patrol Base Shaddadi in Syria on Monday morning. The consensus is that an Iran-backed militia group is behind the deadly drone attack, though the US is still working to determine which group specifically is responsible.

Persons: William Rivers, Kennedy Sanders, Breonna Moffett, Sabrina Singh, William Jerome Rivers, Kennedy Ladon Sanders, Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, AP Singh, Singh, Syria —, John Kirby, CNN’s Phil Mattingly, White, “, ” Kirby, weren’t, ” Singh, ”, Jens Stoltenberg, Lloyd Austin, ” Austin Organizations: CNN, Defense Department, 718th Engineer Company, US Army Reserve, Pentagon, US Army Reserve Command, Spc, Breonna, AP, Baghdad Diplomatic Support, Regional Medical Center, US, Patrol Base Shaddadi, National Security, Kataib Hezbollah, Revolutionary Guard, Hezbollah, NATO Locations: Jordan, Carrollton , Georgia, Waycross , Georgia, Savannah , Georgia, Fort Moore , Georgia, Baghdad, Landstuhl, American, East, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Israel, Gaza, Lebanon

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin returned to work at the Pentagon on Monday after nearly a month's absence because of prostate cancer and was meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. He had been diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier in December, and he went to a hospital for a surgical procedure for the cancer on Dec. 22. Doctors at Walter Reed said on Friday that Austin's prostate cancer prognosis is excellent and no further treatments will be needed. Austin has been criticized for keeping secret his prostate cancer diagnosis, surgery and subsequent hospitalization with complications from the procedure. He was under general anesthesia during this procedure and had transferred some authorities to his deputy defense secretary, Kathleen Hicks.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Jens Stoltenberg, “, ”, Austin, ” Austin, Joe Biden, he’d, Walter Reed, Kathleen Hicks Organizations: WASHINGTON, —, Pentagon, NATO, Walter Reed National Military Medical, White Locations: Ukraine

Republicans in Congress are ramping up pressure on the Biden administration to strike Iran in retaliation after three U.S. troops were killed and dozens were injured in a drone attack that officials have linked to Tehran on Sunday in Jordan. The eventual U.S. response to the attack has raised concerns about escalating conflict in the region, which is already growing as the Israel-Hamas war continues. But GOP lawmakers are sure to be critical of the president as a rematch of Biden and former President Donald Trump appears more likely in the 2024 election. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas originally posted “Target Tehran” before clarifying that he was not calling on the Biden administration to bomb Iranian civilians. White House spokesman Andrew Bates dismissed the calls as “attempts by far right congressional Republicans to politicize our national security.”

Persons: Biden, Lloyd Austin, Jens Stoltenberg, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Steve Scalise, ”, ” Sen, Lindsey Graham of, Tom Cotton, Cotton, Sen, John Cornyn of, Andrew Bates Organizations: Defense, Pentagon, NATO, Congress, Biden Administration, Target, Republicans Locations: Iran, Tehran, Jordan, Israel, U.S, America, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Arkansas, John Cornyn of Texas, Target Tehran

☆ Pentagon says it is not seeking war with Iran after Jordan attack
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"We certainly don't seek a war and frankly we don't see Iran wanting to seek a war with the United States," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters. She added that the Pentagon believed Iran did not want a war either. Two officials said a U.S. drone was approaching the base around the same time the attack drone was incoming. One of the officials said the attack drone was also flying low, factors that may have contributed to it being missed by base defenses. "Iran continues to destabilize the region, this includes backing terrorists who attack our ships in the Red Sea," Stoltenberg said.

Persons: Jens Stoltenberg, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Joe Biden's, Austin, Biden, Sabrina Singh, John Kirby, Breonna Alexsondria, Stoltenberg Organizations: NATO, U.S, State Department, U.S . Defense, Monday, Sunday, Pentagon, House, Army Reserve, Austin Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, Jordan, Iran, Israel, United States, Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Red

☆ Analysis: How Orban’s ties to Putin are putting European aid to Ukraine at risk
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —From the start of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Hungary has been the weakest link in the West’s response. That’s why there’s so much attention on a meeting on Monday between the foreign ministers of Hungary and Ukraine. Hungary has frustrated European and US-led efforts to support Ukraine for the best part of two years. But time and again, they have blocked important action to support Ukraine and strengthen the Western alliance,” a German foreign affairs official told CNN. But that is what the vast majority of European officials think we are likely to see in the coming months.

Persons: Vladimir Putin’s, Viktor Orban, Orban, Vladimir Putin, Jens Stoltenberg, Francois Mori, Orban tantrums, Sean Gallup, hasn’t, ”, Putin, John Thys, – Organizations: CNN, EU, Hungarian, Ukraine, NATO, Getty, Russia, Kremlin, Putin Locations: Ukraine, Hungary, Russia, Brussels, Europe, Hungarian, AFP, brinksmanship, Finland, Sweden, Turkish, Hungary’s, Budapest, Moscow, Scandinavia, Balkans

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