“The presence of NATO forces in Ukraine is not unthinkable,” Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said on Friday in Poland, adding that he appreciated Macron’s initiative, “because it is about [Russian President Vladimir] Putin being afraid, not us being afraid of Putin.” Séjourné raised concerns about Moscow setting its sights on the Baltic countries, which used … Read more
“At every stage it’s been said if you give anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, that’s escalation. No, it wasn’t,” said Cameron as he stood alongside German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at a press conference Wednesday. “‘If you give tanks to the Ukrainians, that’s escalation. No, it wasn’t. If you give long-range artillery or long-range fires to … Read more
“We shouldn’t make the mistake of declaring Trump a premature winner, or even subscribing to this idea,” German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said on Wednesday. But for others it’s already too late. Ex-Tory Minister Tim Loughton told the BBC that Biden “frankly needs to read the room — it’s time to go home to the … Read more
Indeed, Anderson — elected in 2019 after defecting from Labour — may be tapping into wider Tory sentiment. An Opinium poll of Conservative Party members released Wednesday by the advocacy group Hope not Hate found that more than half (58 percent) believe Islam is a “threat to the British way of life.” A further 40 … Read more
Not so dynamic duo Beyond fear, diplomats and experts pointed to the dynamic between Scholz and Biden as a driving force behind the West’s overriding strategy of incrementalism and escalation management, rather than a focus on strategic outcomes, in dealing with Ukraine. Despite a 16-year age difference, both men came of age politically during the … Read more
Despite that, the future of Ukraine’s successful defense “also depends on the United States,” the chancellor said, as he urged the U.S. Congress to approve a new multibillion-dollar aid package for Kyiv. Scholz also said that Germany was ramping up arms production to not only better support Ukraine but also ensure its own security. “If … Read more
The bloc wants to finalize a 13th package of sanctions against Russia before Feb. 24, which would mark two years since Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The European Commission has also urged national governments to take “concerted action” to toughen sanctions enforcement. EU Council President Charles Michel served notice to Xi Jinping at … Read more
This battlefield transparency is invaluable for artillery and air forces to attack targets. Until recently, “imprecision” would have been the kindest way to interpret the often thousands of rounds needed to assure some confidence that a target could be destroyed. And given the vagaries of weather, wind and a host of other factors, even with … Read more
Though unsuccessful, the attack marks an intensification in the battle between the Houthis, which control large parts of Yemen, and a U.S.-led naval operation aimed at protecting commercial shipping in one of the most important global trade routes. In recent weeks, Western navies have repeatedly responded to Houthi attacks against cargo ships traveling along the … Read more
The Israeli military has started withdrawing units from Gaza, indicating that a new phase of the war has begun, though officials said the conflict is far from over. “Some of the reservists will return to their families and employment this week,” an Israel Defense Forces spokesman said. The decision to move soldiers out of Gaza … Read more
