Europe Watch

As Trump sees Ukraine peace deal slipping away he lashes out at both Putin and Zelensky– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser March 31, 2025 0

As Trump sees Ukraine peace deal slipping away he lashes out at both Putin and Zelensky– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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TRUMP: ‘VERY ANGRY, PISSED OFF’: With Russian President Vladimir Putin showing he’s in no hurry to make peace with Ukraine and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky balking at the latest version of the proposed mineral deals with the U.S., President Donald Trump is showing his frustration with both leaders as the prospects for a quick, war-ending deal are fading fast.

Trump, as quoted by NBC Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker, is unhappy with Putin’s latest delaying tactic, calling for “temporary international administration” in Ukraine under the auspices of the United Nations, because Putin claims Zelensky is not the legitimate leader of Ukraine.

“The president told me, quote, ‘I was very angry, pissed off’ when Putin started getting into Zelensky’s credibility and started talking about new leadership in Ukraine,” Welker said in the opening of her Sunday show. “If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault, which it might not be. But if I think it was Russia’s fault, I am going to put secondary tariffs on all oil coming out of Russia,” Welker quoted Trump as saying.

Trump says he had “very good” call with Zelenskyy one day after speaking to Putin– www.cbsnews.com

pgnewser March 20, 2025 0

Trump says he had “very good” call with Zelenskyy one day after speaking to Putin– www.cbsnews.com
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Washington — President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke on the phone Wednesday morning in a call that lasted roughly an hour, according to Mr. Trump.

“Just completed a very good telephone call with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine,” the president wrote on Truth Social. “It lasted approximately one hour. Much of the discussion was based on the call made yesterday with President Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs.”

The call comes a day after Mr. Trump’s lengthy call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, in which Mr. Trump said Putin agreed to a 30-day ceasefire against Ukraine’s energy and infrastructure. The commitment fell short of the full ceasefire pushed by the U.S. and agreed to by Ukraine. Hours after Mr. Trump and Putin hung up, Russia launched a series of drone strikes that struck civilian areas and damaged a hospital.

🔴 Putin, Trump agree to seek limited ceasefire on energy, infrastructure, in first step to ending Ukraine war– www.france24.com

pgnewser March 20, 2025 0

Trump and Putin agree to an immediate ceasefire for energy infrastructure in Ukraine conflict – AP News
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Excerpt:

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed during a lengthy call Tuesday to an immediate pause in strikes against energy infrastructure in the Ukraine war, but the Russian leader stopped short of backing a broader 30-day pause in fighting that the U.S. administration is pressing for.

The White House described it as the first step in a “movement to peace” that it hopes will include a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea and eventually a full and lasting end to the fighting. But there was no indication that Putin has backed away from his conditions for a prospective peace deal, which are fiercely opposed by Kyiv. And shortly after the call ended, air raid alerts sounded in Kyiv, followed by explosions in the city. Local officials urged people to seek shelter.

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Romania Still in Turmoil as Fallout from Cancelled Election, Arrest of Opposition Continues

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

After the arrest of Romania’s leading opposition leader, Calin Georgescu, protests, riots, and civil disturbances have been occurring ever since. The party who saw their candidate arrested and imprisoned is now scrambling to replace him before the re-run election this May. The election produced a win for Georgescu which was invalidated by an EU court on the grounds it was too influenced by Russian propagandists.

Romania’s far-right candidate Calin Georgescu to challenge presidential election ban – Reuters
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Excerpt:

Romanian far-right presidential contender Calin Georgescu said on Monday he would challenge a decision to bar him from taking part in an election rerun in May, but analysts said his chances of standing were slim amid fears of Russian meddling.

The dispute over Georgescu’s candidacy is firing up tensions both at home and abroad.

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A small group of his supporters smashed pavements and set rubbish bins ablaze in Bucharest on Sunday, while Elon Musk, a key adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, asked in a post on X on Monday: “How can a judge end democracy in Romania?”

 

Chaos in Romania’s capital after far-right Calin Georgescu barred from presidential redo – The Washington Post
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Chaos broke out in Romania’s capital Sunday evening as incensed supporters of the far-right populist Calin Georgescu protested the electoral body’s decision to reject his candidacy in a presidential election redo. He won the first round of last year’s race before a top court annulled the election.

Brussels ‘must take position’ on Romanian presidential election controversy one way or another, warns Slovak PM Fico– rmx.news
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The European Commission is under increasing pressure to address the unfolding political crisis in Romania after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico called for clarity on the rejection of Calin Georgescu’s presidential candidacy.

Fico’s remarks, shared on social media, warn that the Commission’s silence would further undermine trust in the European Union.

Fico emphasized that the European Commission “must take a position” on the situation one way or another, asserting that either Georgescu, a nationalist and NATO-skeptic, is right, or the Romanian authorities’ decision to bar him from running is justified.

“The European Commission (EC) must take a position on the presidential elections in Romania — and take responsibility for it. If Mr. Georgescu is being wronged simply because he has a different opinion, he must be given European protection. If the EC is convinced that the Romanian authorities are doing the right thing, it must stand up for them. The only thing the EC cannot do is to remain silent,” Fico declared.

The controversy erupted after Romania’s Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) rejected Georgescu’s candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections on Sunday evening. The decision, taken with 10 votes in favor out of the 14-member committee, sparked protests in Bucharest, where demonstrators clashed with police, waving national flags and chanting slogans calling for “revolution.” Riot police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, and multiple arrests were made.

Protesters block main state Serbian TV building as tensions soar ahead of a planned large rally – ABC News–

pgnewser March 11, 2025 1

Protesters block main state Serbian TV building as tensions soar ahead of a planned large rally – ABC News
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 Several hundred student protesters have blocked Serbia’s public television station building in Belgrade as tensions are soaring in the Balkan country days ahead of a planned large rally over the weekend billed as an endgame in months of anti-government demonstrations.

The students first blocked the TV building in central Belgrade, Serbia’s capital, late on Monday and several hundred gathered again early on Tuesday, after announcing that their blockade will last for at least 22 hours.

University students in Serbia are behind almost daily rallies that started after a concrete canopy crashed down in November at a railway station in the northern city of Novi Sad, killing 15 people. The protests have rocked populist rule of President Aleksandar Vucic and his firm grip on power.

Zelensky arrives in Saudi Arabia for crucial peace talks with US officials– www.france24.com

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

Zelensky arrives in Saudi Arabia for crucial peace talks with US officials– www.france24.com
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Excerpt:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Saudi Arabia for crucial talks on ending the war with Russia. He is scheduled to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman before joining US and Ukrainian officials for negotiations on a peace framework and potential ceasefire. The talks in Jeddah mark the first meeting between the two sides since Zelensky’s White House visit last month. Here is Philip Turle’s analysis.

News24 | Ukraine launches drone attack wave on Moscow, killing one and shutting down airports– www.news24.com

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

News24 | Ukraine launches drone attack wave on Moscow, killing one and shutting down airports– www.news24.com
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Excerpt:

Ukraine has launched a “massive” drone attack against Moscow that killed at least one person, injured several others and saw the shutdown of airports and damaged residential buildings, officials and aviation authorities said.

Russian Army Reports Major Advances in Kursk Region After ‘Operation Pipeline’– www.themoscowtimes.com

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

Russian Army Reports Major Advances in Kursk Region After ‘Operation Pipeline’– www.themoscowtimes.com
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Russia has reclaimed more than 100 square kilometers (38.6 square miles) of territory and 12 villages from Ukrainian forces in the southwestern Kursk region over the past 24 hours, the Russian military said Tuesday.

“The North Group of Forces has liberated 12 settlements during offensive actions… and more than 100 square kilometers of the Kursk region,” Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a daily briefing.

The retaken settlements include Agronom, Bogdanovka, Bondarevka, Dmitryukov, Zazulevka, Ivashkovskiy, Kolmakov, Kubatkin, Martynovka, Mikhaylovka, Pravda and Yuzhny, all located just north or east of the Ukrainian-held city of Sudzha.

Russia’s significant advances this past month, which analysts say put Ukrainian forces at risk of encirclement, appear to have taken advantage of U.S. President Donald Trump’s suspension of military aid and intelligence sharing to Ukraine.

Playing his ‘Trump card,’ Putin goes for the kill to force Zelensky’s hand– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

Playing his ‘Trump card,’ Putin goes for the kill to force Zelensky’s hand– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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PUTIN’S POWER PLAY: Emboldened by President Donald Trump’s suspension of military aid and intelligence to Ukraine, Russian forces have stepped up the pace of air attacks and redoubled efforts to take back captured territory in the Kursk region in what appears to be an attempt to solidify its battlefield position ahead of a forced surrender by Kyiv.

Ukrainian troops in the field suspect that the U.S. is not just hurting Ukraine, but helping Russian forces in the Kursk region, who seem to have new intelligence about Ukrainian positions as they attempt to encircle Ukrainian forces and retake the tiny sliver of Russian territory that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hoped to use as one of his few bargaining chips in any peace negotiation. Ukrainian soldiers in the border region have complained on X that they come under instant heavy attack as soon as they activate their Starlink terminals.

“Throughout this week, Russia has carried out hundreds of attacks against our people using various types of weapons: around 1,200 guided aerial bombs, nearly 870 attack drones, and over 80 missiles of different types,” Zelensky posted on X over the weekend, ahead of a scheduled trip to Saudi Arabia today. Zelensky said a Saturday attack in Dobropillya, a city in the Donetsk region, was “one of the most brutal” striking civilians targets, including nine residential buildings, a shopping center, and killing 11 people.

Musk and Rubio spar with Polish minister over Ukraine’s use of Starlink – BBC.com

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

Musk and Rubio spar with Polish minister over Ukraine’s use of Starlink – BBC.com
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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Elon Musk have clashed with Poland’s foreign minister over the use of the tech billionaire’s Starlink satellite internet system in Ukraine.

Musk said on X that Ukraine’s “entire front line” would collapse if he turned the system off. Radoslaw Sikorski responded, saying his country paid for its use in Ukraine and a threat to shut it down would result in a search for another network.

Rubio dismissed Sikorski’s claims and told him to be grateful, while Musk called him a “small man”.

The exchange appeared to lead to Polish PM Donald Tusk calling on his country’s allies to show respect for their weaker partners, rather than arrogance.

Starlink’s system is part of SpaceX’s venture to provide high-speed internet to remote and underserved areas. It has been used extensively by the Ukrainian military.

Elon Musk floats drastic measure against Ukraine that would ‘immediately’ end war with Russia – Daily Mail

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

Elon Musk floats drastic measure against Ukraine that would ‘immediately’ end war with Russia – Daily Mail
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Tech titan Elon Musk has suggested crippling sanctions on Ukraine’s oligarchs is the key to halting the nation’s bloody conflict with Russia

Musk, 53, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, called for sanctions targeting Ukraine’s wealthiest elite in a post on X Sunday morning.

The stunning intervention was a radical departure from the current strategy focused on punishing Russia for its unprovoked invasion of the country.

‘Place sanctions on the top 10 Ukrainian oligarchs, especially the ones with mansions in Monaco, and this will stop immediately. That is the key to the puzzle,’ Musk wrote bluntly.

The remark comes at the end of a week of intensive debate in Washington over whether continued US financial and military aid to Kyiv is sustainable as the war drags on with no clear end in sight.

Republican Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) recently argued that the US shouldn’t offer ‘another penny’ to Ukraine – a view echoed by growing segments of the American public weary of the seemingly endless bloodshed and multibillion-dollar aid packages.

US demanding Ukraine trade land for peace, as talks with Rubio open in Saudi Arabia– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

US demanding Ukraine trade land for peace, as talks with Rubio open in Saudi Arabia– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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Excerpt:

RUBIO: ‘THERE IS NO MILITARY SOLUTION’: Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Saudi Arabia for face-to-face talks with a delegation consisting of Ukraine’s foreign minister, defense minister, and national security adviser to determine what concessions Ukraine is willing to make to end the three-year war with Russia.

Rubio told reporters en route to Jeddah that Ukraine must utter no magic words, but he is looking for signs that Ukraine is ready to make painful concessions to achieve a lasting peace deal. “I mean, right now, we’re really in listening mode,” Rubio said. “We have to understand the Ukrainian position and just have a general idea of what concessions they’d be willing to make, because you’re not going to get a ceasefire and an end to this war unless both sides make concessions.”

“We’re not going to be sitting in a room drawing lines on a map, but just get a general sense of what concessions are in the realm of the possible for them and what they would need in return, and then find out what the Russian position is in that regard,” Rubio said. “At some point soon, obviously, we’ll have to go back and establish a process by which we can determine what the Russian positions are in this regard and see how far apart we are,” he said.

Zelensky Says ‘Sorry’ To Trump For Oval Office Showdown: Big Revelation Before U.S.-Ukraine Talks – The Times of India

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

Zelensky Says ‘Sorry’ To Trump For Oval Office Showdown: Big Revelation Before U.S.-Ukraine Talks – The Times of India
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Excerpt:

U.S. President’s special envoy Steve Witkoff has said that the Ukrainian President apologized to Trump in a letter after the unruly public argument during an Oval Office meeting. “Zelensky sent a letter to the president. He apologized for that whole incident that happened in the Oval Office,” Witkoff told Fox News, adding that that was an important step toward rapprochement between both sides. The revelation comes just hours before Zelensky is set to meet Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia for talks to end Russia’s war.

Is Germany’s Unholy Alliance Already Coming Undone?

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

A coalition government is forming in Germany that saw the alliance of the far left Green Party with the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) to prevent the rising Alliance for Deutschland party (AfD) from gaining any power despite finishing a close second to the CDU. That coalition is in peril already, thanks to a new budget proposal.

The German government on its way out, in a lame duck session, is preparing to pass a budget, one that the presumed next Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, is not only approving, but introducing. It includes billions of euros more in increases targeting infrastructure improvement and military expansion, all under the guise of responding to the Donald Trump threat. The stumbling block for the bill passing is the same leftist party expected to work in partnership with the CDU in the next party, the Green Party, who is threatening to vote the proposed Merz amendments down.

Germany’s Green Party rejects Merz’s spending proposals | Politics News– www.aljazeera.com
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Germany’s Green Party has threatened to torpedo plans put forward by likely incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz to invest hundreds of billions of euros in defence and infrastructure.

Merz, whose conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) emerged the biggest in February’s legislative elections, wants in particular to relax the strict limits imposed by the “debt brake” in Germany to invest more in defence and security. His proposal comes as the country’s economy experiences prolonged stagnation and United States President Donald Trump’s direct overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin have left Europe feeling vulnerable on security.

The proposed constitutional changes to ease strict borrowing limits in the area of defence and establish a 500-billion euro ($542bn) fund for infrastructure had been described as historic when they were presented last week.

Zelenskyy sees post-Trump polling bump. What about other world leaders? – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

Zelenskyy sees post-Trump polling bump. What about other world leaders? – National– globalnews.ca
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Excerpt:

U.S. President Donald Trump’s attacks on world leaders have given many of them a boost in their approval ratings, as allies contend with what experts say is an “external threat” posed by the Trump administration.

Leaders who were suffering polling slumps in recent months and years — including outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his incumbent Liberal Party, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — have seen their popularity rebound since Trump returned to the White House in January, according to recent polls.

“Donald Trump is making other countries rally around their leaders in opposition,” said Matthew Lebo, a political science professor at Western University.

EU chief calls for defence ‘surge’, says ‘time of illusions’ over– www.channelnewsasia.com

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

EU chief calls for defence ‘surge’, says ‘time of illusions’ over– www.channelnewsasia.com
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Stating that Russian President Vladimir Putin “cannot be trusted” but only “deterred”, von der Leyen noted that the Kremlin was spending more on its military “than all of Europe combined”.

“We all wish we could live in more peaceful times. But I am confident that, if we unleash our industrial power, we can restore deterrence against those who seek to do us harm,” she said.

“It is time to build a European Defence Union that ensures peace on our continent through unity and strength.”

The commission plan also allows member states to repurpose so-called “cohesion” funds intended for the development of poorer European countries and lifts curbs on defence investments by the bloc’s lending arm, the European Investment Bank.

Brussels ‘must take position’ on Romanian presidential election controversy one way or another, warns Slovak PM Fico– rmx.news

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

Brussels ‘must take position’ on Romanian presidential election controversy one way or another, warns Slovak PM Fico– rmx.news
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Excerpt:

The European Commission is under increasing pressure to address the unfolding political crisis in Romania after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico called for clarity on the rejection of Calin Georgescu’s presidential candidacy.

Fico’s remarks, shared on social media, warn that the Commission’s silence would further undermine trust in the European Union.

Fico emphasized that the European Commission “must take a position” on the situation one way or another, asserting that either Georgescu, a nationalist and NATO-skeptic, is right, or the Romanian authorities’ decision to bar him from running is justified.

“The European Commission (EC) must take a position on the presidential elections in Romania — and take responsibility for it. If Mr. Georgescu is being wronged simply because he has a different opinion, he must be given European protection. If the EC is convinced that the Romanian authorities are doing the right thing, it must stand up for them. The only thing the EC cannot do is to remain silent,” Fico declared.

The controversy erupted after Romania’s Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) rejected Georgescu’s candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections on Sunday evening. The decision, taken with 10 votes in favor out of the 14-member committee, sparked protests in Bucharest, where demonstrators clashed with police, waving national flags and chanting slogans calling for “revolution.” Riot police used tear gas to disperse the crowd, and multiple arrests were made.

Chaos in Romania’s capital after far-right Calin Georgescu barred from presidential redo – The Washington Post

pgnewser March 11, 2025 0

Chaos in Romania’s capital after far-right Calin Georgescu barred from presidential redo – The Washington Post
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Excerpt:

Chaos broke out in Romania’s capital Sunday evening as incensed supporters of the far-right populist Calin Georgescu protested the electoral body’s decision to reject his candidacy in a presidential election redo. He won the first round of last year’s race before a top court annulled the election.

Press statement by President von der Leyen on the defence package – European Commission

pgnewser March 7, 2025 0

Press statement by President von der Leyen on the defence package – European Commission
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Excerpt:

We are living in the most momentous and dangerous of times. I do not need to describe the grave nature of the threats that we face. Or the devastating consequences that we will have to endure if those threats would come to pass. Because the question is no longer whether Europe’s security is threatened in a very real way. Or whether Europe should shoulder more of the responsibility for its own security. In truth, we have long known the answers to those questions. The real question in front of us is whether Europe is prepared to act as decisively as the situation dictates. And whether Europe is ready and able to act with the speed and the ambition that is needed. In the various meetings in the last few weeks – most recently two days ago in London – the answer from European capitals has been as resounding as it is clear. We are in an era of rearmament. And Europe is ready to massively boost its defence spending. Both, to respond to the short-term urgency to act and to support Ukraine but also to address the long-term need to take on much more responsibility for our own European security.

This is why today I have written a letter to Leaders ahead of Thursday’s European Council. This is why we are here together today. And I have outlined in this letter to the leaders the ReArm Europe Plan. This set of proposals focuses on how to use all of the financial levers at our disposal – in order to help Member States to quickly and significantly increase expenditures in defence capabilities. Urgently now but also over a longer time over this decade. There are five parts to this.

Romania Expels Two Russian Diplomats After ‘Interference’ Claim– www.themoscowtimes.com

pgnewser March 7, 2025 0

Romania Expels Two Russian Diplomats After ‘Interference’ Claim– www.themoscowtimes.com
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Excerpt:

Romania on Wednesday ordered two Russian diplomats expelled, after slamming Russian “interference” and criticism of an indictment of far-right presidential candidate Calin Georgescu.

Russia’s military attache and his deputy in Bucharest were declared “persona non grata” by Foreign Ministry of Romania, which is a NATO member country.

It said the two carried out activities contravening the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, without giving details.

Local media reported that the deputy attache’s name appeared in an investigation into Georgescu. Allegedly, one of Georgescu’s associates telephoned the Russian embassy, seeking to contact the deputy.

Russian Lawmakers Pass Local Government Reform Bill Designed to Further Strengthen Kremlin Control– www.themoscowtimes.com

pgnewser March 7, 2025 0

Russian Lawmakers Pass Local Government Reform Bill Designed to Further Strengthen Kremlin Control– www.themoscowtimes.com
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Excerpt:

Russia’s State Duma passed a bill Wednesday overhauling the country’s constitutionally mandated two-tier system of local self-government, further consolidating the Kremlin’s control six years after President Vladimir Putin proposed the reforms.

The bill, which has been amended over 1,000 times since its introduction in 2021, allows regional authorities to decide whether to abolish lower-tier urban and rural municipal governments, shifting toward a single-tier system.

One of the bill’s co-authors said that more than half of Russia’s regions, as well as four partially occupied Ukrainian regions and annexed Crimea, have already adopted or plan to adopt the new system.

The remaining regions — primarily ethnic republics — are expected to either retain the two-tier system or partially transition to the new model.

EU Parliament wants to deprive Hungary of voting rights – Politico – RBC-Ukraine

pgnewser March 7, 2025 0

EU Parliament wants to deprive Hungary of voting rights – Politico – RBC-Ukraine
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Excerpt:

MEPs from the Volt party are calling for Hungary’s voting rights in the EU to be revoked because it blocks joint decisions. They will send a corresponding plan to European leaders, Politico reports.

According to the agency, their plan consists of 9 points. The document, in addition to calling for the deprivation of Hungary’s voting rights, proposes to appoint the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, as a full-fledged EU Foreign Minister.

The authors of the text also seek to create a common European army and to ensure that EU treaties can be revised to include new defense competencies and prepare for enlargement.

Trump’s lack of faith in NATO stokes concern for America’s continued commitment to the 75-year-old alliance– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser March 7, 2025 0

Trump’s lack of faith in NATO stokes concern for America’s continued commitment to the 75-year-old alliance– www.washingtonexaminer.com
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Excerpt:

TRUMP ‘NOT SO SURE’ NATO WOULD PROTECT US: In his ongoing like-hate relationship with NATO, President Donald Trump fired off another series of brickbats Thursday, casting doubt on the trans-Atlantic alliance’s core commitment, namely that an attack on one is an attack on all.

“The biggest problem I have with NATO,” Trump said during another executive order signing press event, “[is] if the United States was in trouble and we called them, we said, ‘We got a problem. France, we got a problem.’ A couple of others I won’t mention. Do you think they’re going to come and protect us? They’re supposed to. I’m not so sure.”

The offhand comment reflects Trump’s long-standing disdain for the most successful military alliance in history, which he continues to see as a group of freeloading nations, failing to pay their fair share of defense costs. “It’s very unfair what’s been happening. Until I came along, we were paying close to 100% of NATO,” Trump said, repeating one of the many claims he makes about NATO that can easily be proven false.

German parties agree historic debt overhaul to revamp military and economy – Reuters

pgnewser March 7, 2025 0

German parties agree historic debt overhaul to revamp military and economy – Reuters
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Excerpt:

The parties hoping to form Germany’s next government on Tuesday agreed to create a 500 billion euro infrastructure fund and overhaul borrowing rules in a tectonic spending shift to revamp the military and revive growth in Europe’s largest economy.
Friedrich Merz’s conservatives and the Social Democrats (SPD), who are in negotiations to form a coalition after a national election last month, will put their proposals to the German parliament next week.
Germany’s likely next chancellor, Merz, has seized the moment after the return of Donald Trump to the White House put the transatlantic alliance in turmoil and underlined the urgency for Europe to strengthen its own defences.
Trump froze military aid to Ukraine after a bitter clash last week with its President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, reinforcing fears he could strike a deal with Russia to end the war in Ukraine while disengaging from Europe.
Economists and investors have urged Germany to reform its constitutionally enshrined state borrowing limits – known as the “debt brake” – in order to free up investment and support an economy that has contracted for the past two years.

Starmer praises sacrifice of British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq in oblique rebuke to Vance– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser March 7, 2025 0

Starmer praises sacrifice of British troops in Afghanistan and Iraq in oblique rebuke to Vance– abcnews.go.com
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LONDON — U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday praised the hundreds of British troops who died fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq “alongside our allies,” in an oblique rebuke of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who has questioned the merits of a potential European peacekeeping force in Ukraine following the signing of any peace agreement between the country and Russia.

In his opening remarks before the start of a weekly parliamentary question session, Starmer specifically paid tribute to six British soldiers who died on patrol in Afghanistan when their vehicle was struck by an explosive. Thursday marks the 13-year anniversary of their deaths.

“These men fought and died for their country, our country,” Starmer told the House of Commons. “And across the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, 642 individuals died fighting for Britain alongside our allies, many more were wounded.”

Without directly referencing Vance, the prime minister said he and all lawmakers will “never forget their bravery and their sacrifice.”

EU leaders open emergency talks on defense and Ukraine aid as US support wanes– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser March 7, 2025 1

EU leaders open emergency talks on defense and Ukraine aid as US support wanes– abcnews.go.com
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Excerpt:

BRUSSELS — Facing the possibility of a fundamental disengagement under U.S. President Donald Trump, European Union leaders opened a day of emergency summit talks Thursday to beef up their own military defenses and make sure that Ukraine will still be properly protected by its allies….

It all underscored the sea change that has happened in the two months since Trump took office and immediately started questioning the cornerstones of cooperation between the United States and Europe which had been the bedrock of Western security since World War II.

“Given these profound shifts in US policy, and the existential threat of another war on the continent, Europe, must manage its essential defence tasks,” the European Policy Center think tank said in a commentary.

The bloc of 27 will “take decisive steps forward,” Macron told the French nation Wednesday evening. “Member states will be able to increase their military spending” and “massive joint funding will be provided to buy and produce some of the most innovative munitions, tanks, weapons and equipment in Europe.”

Adding to the ebullient message he said that “Europe’s future does not have to be decided in Washington or Moscow.”