Moscow targets Kyiv, western Ukraine with massive missile barrage; Russian ships hit in Crimea – POLITICO

“For the third pre-dawn morning this week, all of Ukraine is under an air alert and has been advised to seek shelter,” U.S. Ambassador Bridget Brink wrote on X early Sunday. “Russia continues to indiscriminately launch drones and missiles with no regard for millions of civilians, violating international law.” An air alert in the capital … Read more

Former Finland PM Alexander Stubb wins presidential election  – POLITICO

After attending school in Finland and later the U.S., Belgium and the U.K., Stubb entered politics in 2004 as a member of the European Parliament. He hit the Finnish big time in 2008 when — to his own surprise — he was named foreign minister. Praised by allies for his high-energy approach to politics, he was … Read more

Taiwan at election crossroads as war threat looms – POLITICO

This story was originally published in German by WELT, a sister publication of POLITICO in the Axel Springer Group. Nate Lin wants to be prepared for war.  On a Saturday morning in November, Lin, a 35-year-old Taiwanese man, practices how to apply a tourniquet to his right arm. In this fictive scenario, he’s been shot and … Read more

How to watch Taiwan’s election like a pro – POLITICO

TAIPEI — The stakes for Taiwan’s democracy could hardly be higher in a tight presidential election on January 13, with Chinese President Xi Jinping delivering an ominous New Year address in which he insisted “reunification of the motherland is a historical inevitability.” The vote cuts to the heart of a battle for regional influence between … Read more