‘Hit them in the face,’ Lukashenko tells Belarusian athletes ahead of Olympics – POLITICO

“Anger in sports is important,” Lukashenko said. “If you have already qualified and are going there in a neutral status, hit them in the face, show them that you are a real Belarusian,” he continued. Lukashenko has not clarified whether his comments were made in a spirit of sporting competitiveness, or if the implication was … Read more

As Russia’s shadow fleet menaces Sweden, here’s how the EU could help

Elisabeth Braw is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, the author of the award-winning “Goodbye Globalization” and a regular columnist for POLITICO. An ever-growing headache, Russia’s shadow fleet, which operates outside the official maritime sector and features obscure ownership as well as virtually non-existent insurance, is now menacing Gotland — and thus Sweden. Because … Read more

‘Completely unacceptable’ for Israel to attack Rafah – POLITICO

The Commission president, who is running for a second term, made the remarks at a debate co-hosted by POLITICO in Maastricht. In response to a question about how she proposes to end the war in Gaza, von der Leyen said she has always defended Israel’s right to defend itself, while calling on Israel’s leaders to … Read more

Rethinking EU restrictive measures     – POLITICO

Are there unintended consequences to European Union sanctions against Russia? While rocked initially by the restrictions, Russia’s economy has shown remarkable resilience. Europe, on the other hand, is facing a year of glacial growth. There are also growing concerns around the legitimacy of some of the embargoes being issued by Brussels, the adverse impact on … Read more

Italy can do without Russian gas, says energy minister – POLITICO

This G7 will need to look for innovative models to accelerate investments, including private-public partnerships, Pichetto Fratin said. “We certainly need to revise the financial system, to find mechanisms that overcome the current voluntary system,” he said.   While Italy, which currently holds the rotating G7 presidency, is in a leadership position at this weekend’s … Read more

Putin ‘likely’ didn’t order Navalny’s death in February, US agencies believe: WSJ – POLITICO

According to the WSJ report, U.S. intelligence agencies have shared the assessment with some European intelligence agencies. But some European security officials “remain skeptical” that Putin didn’t play a direct hand in Navalny’s death, considering his tight grip on Russia. The U.S. assessment is “based on a range of information, including some classified intelligence, and … Read more

Bombardier gets federal exemption from sanctions on Russian titanium

Bombardier is now the second large Canadian corporation known to have been granted an exemption from federal government sanctions on Russian titanium. The Montreal-based aircraft manufacturer, along with its European partner Airbus, can continue to use parts containing titanium produced by Russia’s VSMPO-AVISMA, based in Verkhnyaya Salda. During a conference call Thursday with reporters following the release of Bombardier’s quarterly results, CEO … Read more

Europe needs to ‘wake up’ and face the Iran threat, says Israel’s president – POLITICO

As Israel faces criticism from its allies over the scale of its assault on Gaza, which has left much of the enclave in ruins amid preparations for an Israeli assault on Rafah, Herzog was clear that Tehran is the real enemy. In response to Iranian drone and missile attacks on Israel last weekend, the Israeli government … Read more

Slovaks crowd-fund ammo for Ukraine – POLITICO

Earlier this year, with Ukraine’s counteroffensive falling flat, Russia asserting dominance in artillery fire and U.S. aid to Kyiv mired in Washington politics, the Czech government set up a platform to gather donations from allied countries to co-finance the purchase of ammunition from producers around the world. In doing so, the aim was to side-step … Read more

Israeli strikes on Rafah kill 13, as Gaza death toll surpasses 34,000 – POLITICO

The lastest strikes came within hours after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to provide Israel with $26.3 billion in assistance. The measure, which includes $9 billion in humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip, now goes back to the Senate, which about 10 weeks ago cleared legislation with nearly identical aid to Israel. … Read more