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☆ British Air Force to guard Iceland during Council of Europe summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The May 15-19 airspace protection agreement signed by the two countries will provide security before, during and after a summit of the Council of Europe, the continent's leading human rights watchdog, which is meeting in Iceland on May 16 and 17. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is among the government leaders expected to attend the meeting of the 46-nation council. The summit will be the largest international event held in Iceland, according to the government. The island nation situated in the North Atlantic ocean has a population of fewer than 400,000 people and no standing army or air force of its own. Reporting by Terje Solsvik in Oslo Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ An Erdogan Loss in Turkey Would Stir Relief in the West and Anxiety in Moscow
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Steven Erlanger | Anatoly Kurmanaev | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

More broadly, for the European Union and Washington there is the strong feeling that Turkey under Mr. Erdogan has moved farther away from European values and norms like the rule of law and freedom of the press. Kaja Kallas, Estonia’s prime minister, said in an interview that NATO and the European Union viewed the election differently. It is a defense alliance, she said, and “Turkey is one of the allies that has great military capacities” to help NATO in a key part of the world. In Washington, Mr. Erdogan’s drift toward authoritarianism, his ties to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and his disputes with NATO have exasperated officials — and even led some members of Congress to suggest that Turkey should be banished from the NATO alliance. While the United States, the European Union and, to a lesser extent, NATO stand to gain from an opposition victory, Mr. Putin almost certainly will be seen as the loser if Mr. Erdogan is ousted.

☆ Opinion: What Trump gets right on Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-13 | by ( Opinion Daniel R. Depetris | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

For many political pundits and politicians, his observations on the war in Ukraine were no exception. Asa Hutchinson, who is challenging Trump for the 2024 nomination, declared that “Trump reminded everyone tonight of his support of Russia and his willingness to sell out Ukraine. The major difference between the Biden administration and Trump on the Ukraine question seems to be not whether talks should happen, but when. Another point Trump gets right is the vast disparity between the US and its European allies on the issue of assistance to Ukraine, even if his grossly exaggerates the amount of US aid. Join us on Twitter and FacebookTo be clear, some of what Trump said at the town hall about Ukraine was incorrect.

☆ Ukraine tried to assassinate Putin by drone, Kremlin says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Shortly after the Kremlin announcement, Ukraine reported alerts for air strikes over the capital Kyiv and other cities. "The Russian side reserves the right to take retaliatory measures where and when it sees fit," the Kremlin added. "When the enemy can achieve nothing on the battlefield, it strikes at peaceful cities," Ukrainian military spokesperson Serhii Cherevatyi said. Elsewhere, oil depots were ablaze in southern Russia and Ukraine alike as both sides escalated a drone war ahead of Kyiv's promised spring counteroffensive against Russian forces. Blinken said later the U.S. government had authorised another $300 million worth of arms and equipment for Ukraine.

☆ Analysis: Whether Trump or Biden, some in Europe see the US as an unreliable ally
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But they also knew that Biden would not be able to undo all the damage done in Donald Trump’s four years. First, if Trump could happen once, there is no reason he or someone in his mold won’t happen again. Second, Biden, Europeans believe, has continued much of Trump’s foreign policy of protectionism on trade and maximum pressure on China. I am worried we are underestimating the risk of China,” says an Eastern Europe diplomat. “Europe has lots of ties to China, but it also learned recently how fast a partner can become an adversary.

REUTERS/Leah MillisWASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - Incumbent President Joe Biden entered the 2024 election race on Tuesday with something he didn't have two-and-a-half years ago: a record in the White House. Critics also say that increased federal spending under Biden, including $750 million on climate change and tax breaks, also drove inflation higher. Biden may have worse cards in 2024, with unemployment likely to rise as growth slows, interest rates remaining high and inflation holding above pre-pandemic levels. Biden also dismissed the sentences of thousands of people with federal offenses for simple marijuana possession, a disproportionately non-white group. The Biden administration also has faced scrutiny over its handling of record numbers of unaccompanied children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally.

☆ Allies move to bolster Ukrainian tank forces ahead of counteroffensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine has pressed its allies for long-range weapons, jets and ammunition ahead of a counteroffensive to push back Russian troops that is expected in the coming weeks or months. Abrams battle tanks will arrive in Germany in the coming weeks for Ukrainian troops to begin training, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters. NATO member states and their allies have provided Ukraine with weapons and armour, but Ukraine's leadership has repeatedly asked for more powerful weapons and quicker supplies. "The Russians are cautious to come into Ukraine because of the effective use of the Ukrainian air defense system. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban poured cold water on Ukraine's NATO prospects, simply tweeting "What?!"

☆ NATO chief Stoltenberg visits wartime Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg visits the Wall of Remembrance to pay tribute to killed Ukrainian soldiers, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Gleb GaranichKYIV, April 20 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday paid his first visit to Kyiv since Russia's full-scale invasion, in a show of support for Ukraine as it prepares to launch a counteroffensive. The NATO chief got into a car and drove off after the event, the photographer said. Ukraine sees its future in NATO alliance and last September announced a bid for fast-track membership after the Kremlin said it had have annexed four Ukrainian regions that its troops have partially occupied. Moscow regards NATO as a hostile military alliance bent on encroaching on what it sees as its sphere of influence.

☆ Ukraine appeals to NATO chief for membership and more arms
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NATO has supported Ukraine throughout the war, with member states supplying it with weapons, but Zelenskiy said more were needed. [1/6] NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg visits the Wall of Remembrance to pay tribute to killed Ukrainian soldiers, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich 1 2 3 4 5"Mr President, I am here today with a simple message: NATO stands with Ukraine," he said. Ukraine announced a bid for fast-track membership of NATO last September after the Kremlin said it had annexed four Ukrainian regions that its troops have partially occupied. The Kremlin reiterated to reporters on a conference call that Moscow opposed NATO admitting Ukraine, a former Soviet republic.

☆ Trump accuses France's Macron of pandering to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Ludovic Marin/Pool via REUTERS/File PhotoWASHINGTON, April 12 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump accused Emmanuel Macron of pandering to China leader Xi Jinping during the French president's recent closely watched visit to Beijing. "You got this crazy world is blowing up and the United States has absolutely no say. And Macron, who's a friend of mine, is over with China kissing his ass," Trump said in an interview with Fox News late on Tuesday. As president, Trump upended some tenets of America’s post-World War Two foreign policy by questioning the NATO alliance, alienating European partners and indulging autocrats. Trump himself was accused of pandering to world leaders, autocrats in particular, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong-Un.

☆ Ministers may meet in Moscow to advance Turkey-Syria ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ANKARA, April 10 (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia, Iran and Syria may hold consultations in early May as part of Russia's attempt to help broker a rapprochement between the Turkish and Syrian governments, Turkey' foreign minister said on Monday. "The meeting will most probably take place in early May, in Moscow," Minister Mevlut Cavusoğlu told broadcaster A Haber, saying it could lead to a leaders' meeting. Syrian and Turkish defence ministers held talks in Moscow in December in the highest-level encounter since the war began. Moscow is Assad's main ally and Russia has encouraged a reconciliation with Ankara. But Damascus demands full withdrawal of Turkish troops for relations to be restored.

☆ Putin said Finland joining NATO didn't pose a threat, but now that it's a done deal, Russia is warning it will have to take action
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Finland joining NATO is one of the most significant consequences of Russia invading Ukraine. Putin said at that time that Finland joining NATO didn't pose an "immediate threat" to Russia. Less than a year ago, however, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov suggested that Finland joining NATO wouldn't make "much difference." Finland joining NATO marks one of the most significant geopolitical consequences of Russia's invasion of Ukraine to date and represents a dramatic realignment of Europe's security framework. But now, as a result of invading Ukraine, Russia has seen its land border with NATO double in size.

☆ Russia bid to 'weaponize energy' on Blinken agenda at NATO meet
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Simon Lewis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, March 30 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will push back on Russia's attempts to "weaponize energy" and rally support for a Ukrainian counteroffensive when he meets NATO foreign ministers in Brussels next week, an official said on Thursday. A meeting of the U.S.-EU Energy Council will focus on joint efforts to "blunt Russia's attempts to weaponize energy ... (and) bolstering energy supplies for the coming winters," Dereck Hogan, the State Department's principal deputy assistant secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, told reporters. NATO has sent large amounts of weapons and other aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded, which has also spurred moves to expand the alliance. The top U.S. diplomat will meet with European Union High Representative and Vice President Josep Borrell, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dymtro Kuleba in Belgium on Tuesday and Wednesday, the State Department said. Reporting by Simon Lewis, Doina Chiacu and Daphne Psaledakis; editing by Grant McCoolOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Hungarian government official argues Sweden isn't nice enough to his country to get approval to join NATO
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Hungary is one of two countries yet to approve Sweden's bid to join NATO. Sweden — alongside neighboring Finland — requested to join NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine over a year ago, but it still needs Hungary's approval to do so. "With Finland's admission into NATO now secure, Sweden must face the music regarding its daunting attitude and former derogatory comments toward Hungary," Kovács wrote. Photo by JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty ImagesKovács wrote that another reason for the hold up on Sweden's NATO bid is Stockholm's "crumbling throne of moral superiority" and a "lack of care and respect." Sweden and Finland — both of which have historically been militarily nonaligned — applied to join NATO in May 2022 and were invited to join the military alliance the following month.

☆ Ukraine slams Putin plan to station Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Dan Peleschuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

"Making a statement about tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, he admits that he is afraid of losing & all he can do is scare with tactics," Mykhailo Podolyak tweeted. Washington, the world's other nuclear superpower, played down concerns about Putin's announcement and the potential for Moscow to use nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine. The official noted that Russia and Belarus had been speaking about the transfer of nuclear weapons for some time. However, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons called Putin's announcement an extremely dangerous escalation. Sharing nuclear weapons makes the situation much worse and risks catastrophic humanitarian consequences," it said on Twitter.

☆ European arms imports climb, U.S. dominance in exports grows, think tank says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File PhotoSTOCKHOLM, March 13 (Reuters) - European states increased their imports of major weaponry by 47% in the five years to 2022, while the United States' share of global arms exports rose to 40% from 33%, a leading conflict think-tank said on Monday. European states in the U.S.-led NATO alliance increased their arms imports by 65% from the previous five-year period. The United States and Russia have been the world's largest and second-largest arms exporters for the past three decades. U.S. arms exports increased by 14% from 2013-17, and the U.S. accounted for 40% of global arms exports. "It is likely that the invasion of Ukraine will further limit Russia's arms exports," SIPRI's Siemon T. Wezeman said.

☆ Ukraine scorns Russian missile strikes on civilians, defence of Bakhmut holds
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Pavel Polityuk | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/7] Ukrainian servicemen walk along a muddy road near the frontline town of Bakhmut amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, Donetsk region, Ukraine March 8, 2023. Kyiv says the air strikes have no military purpose and aim to harm and intimidate civilians, a war crime. Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov said that the failure of Russian intelligence to identify military targets and led to a "Plan B - demoralising the population". HYPERSONIC MISSILESThe White House said that the barrage was "devastating" to see and Washington would continue to provide Ukraine with air defence capabilities. Moscow says Bakhmut is important as a step to securing the surrounding Donbas region, a major war aim.

☆ A post-Erdogan Turkey could come in from the cold
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The six-party coalition challenging the ruling AK Party plans to stamp out inflation, which official figures put at 58%. The six-party coalition should probably do this pre-emptively to gain extra economic credibility, though it seems unlikely to do so. These have soared following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, as some Western goods now go to Russia via Turkey. Nathalie Tocci, a former special adviser to two EU foreign policy supremos, shares this view. But it is not too early to think about how to bring Turkey in from the cold if he loses.

☆ U.S. unveils $2 billion in aid for Ukraine, sanctions and tariff hikes on Russia a year after invasion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Emma Kinery | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON – The United States authorized $2 billion in aid to Ukraine on the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion Friday, and ramped up sanctions and tariffs on Moscow as it tries to bolster Kyiv's war effort. President Joe Biden met virtually with leaders of the G-7 and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday morning to mark the occasion, one year after the group first met to discuss aid. The Biden administration also announced it would sanction more than 200 individuals and entities tied to the Russian war effort, including by targeting the country's metals and mining sector. Biden has been adamant about showing the U.S.'s support for Ukraine as the war drags on into its second year. Earlier this month, Ukraine's prosecutor general, Andriy Kostin, said that regional authorities have logged more than 65,000 Russian war crimes since Moscow invaded Ukraine nearly a year ago.

☆ Ukrainian forces are training on fast and well-armed Leopard tanks in Spain, prime minister says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ukrainian forces are training on Leopard tanks in Spain, according to the Spanish Prime Minister. Leopard tanks are notable for their firepower, armor, and speed on various terrains. Sanchez revealed that the arrival of Leopard tanks in Ukraine would correspond with the return of trained soldiers. Spain is one of several countries to pledge to send tanks to Ukraine. The British are presently training Ukrainian forces on Challenger tanks in southwestern England, and last month, US Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced that the US military was training Ukrainian troops in Germany, the Associated Press reported.

[1/2] NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attends a news conference on the day of NATO defence ministers' meeting at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium February 15, 2023. REUTERS/Johanna GeronBRUSSELS, Feb 23 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday he saw progress in stalled talks with Turkey on Sweden's membership bid and aimed to have both Sweden and Finland join the alliance by the time of its July summit. Ankara accuses Stockholm of harbouring what Turkey considers members of terrorist groups, and has demanded their extradition as a step towards giving Sweden's NATO membership its green light. "So it's inconceivable that Finland or Sweden will face any military threats from Russia without NATO reacting." He has repeatedly cited the post-Soviet enlargement of the NATO alliance eastwards toward his borders as a reason for what he called Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine.

☆ Russia's Putin issues new nuclear warnings to West over Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Guy Faulconbridge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Signed by then-U.S. president Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in 2010, the treaty caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads that the countries can deploy. "... if the United States conducts tests, then we will. Putin said Ukraine had sought to strike a facility deep inside Russia where it keeps nuclear bombers, a reference to the Engels air base. NUCLEAR ARSENAL[1/3] Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual address to the Federal Assembly in Moscow, Russia February 21, 2023. 1 2 3Russia and the United States together hold 90% of the world's nuclear warheads.

Hours before Biden spoke in Poland following a surprise visit to Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed that Moscow would achieve its objectives in Ukraine and accused the West of plotting to destroy Russia. Biden proclaimed "unwavering" support for Kyiv and a commitment to bolstering NATO's eastern flank facing Russia, while rejecting Moscow's contention that the West was plotting to attack Russia. "I can report: Kyiv stands strong, Kyiv stands proud, it stands tall and, most important, it stands free. "When President Putin ordered his tanks to roll into Ukraine, he thought we would roll over. Putin said Ukraine had sought to strike a facility deep inside Russia where it keeps nuclear bombers, a reference to the Engels air base.

☆ A bizarre video shows Russians in swimwear dousing themselves in buckets of cold water to show solidarity with soldiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russians supported Putin's invasion of Ukraine by pouring icy water on themselves. A video shared on Twitter by a BBC journalist shows the event in Blagoveshchensk, Siberia. "Today, we're going to support them with our heroic act by pouring cold water on ourselves." After the speech, about 150 people, ranging from teenagers to pensioners, proceeded to dump buckets of cold water on their heads. In short, Russia has lost — they've lost strategically, operationally, and tactically."

Of at least 36 missiles that Russia fired about 16 were shot down, the air force said, a lower rate than normal. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris are among many top officials attending the Munich Security Conference. As Russian troops massed on Ukraine's borders, Western leaders in Munich urged President Vladimir Putin not to invade and warned of dire consequences if he did. Russian leaders will be notable by their absence at the conference, which runs until Sunday, but senior Ukrainian officials are expected to address it. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address his priority was to hold off Russian attacks and get ready for an eventual Ukrainian counter-offensive.

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