Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Europe

Gaza “graveyard” for most important principles of humanitarian law: EU top diplomat

The Gaza Strip has become a "graveyard" for the most important principles of humanitarian law, the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has stated.

Putin warns Russia-NATO conflict just one step from World War Three

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the West that a direct conflict between Russia and the NATO military alliance would mean the planet was just one step away from World War Three but stressed hardly anyone wanted such a scenario.

US officials say Ukraine almost run out of air defense missiles

Ukraine has told its western backers that munitions for some of its air defense systems could be almost used up by the end of March, the Washington Post has reported, citing American officials.

EU: Rafah military operation must be avoided at all costs

Speaking at a joint news conference with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo, the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU does not want to see an Israeli invasion of Gaza’s southernmost city of Rafah.

Russia’s election commission says Putin set for landslide win in presidential election

Incumbent President Vladimir Putin is expected to win the presidential election, garnering over 87% of the votes, Russia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has reported.

French president again declines to rule out western ground operations in Ukraine ‘at some point’

French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that western ground operations in Ukraine might be necessary “at some point”. He made the remarks days after meeting with German and Polish leaders.

Kiev’s draft leaving several Ukrainian villages, towns without men: Report

Some Ukrainian villages and small towns are left with hardly any adult men amid aggressive and indiscriminate mobilization tactics by the army recruiters, who are desperate to refill the ranks of the depleted forces, according to a report by the Washington Post.

Italy warns NATO presence in Ukraine could trigger WWIII

Deploying troops of the NATO bloc to the battlefields in Ukraine might result in an all-out global conflict, effectively a Third World War, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has cautioned. He has ruled out any possibility that his country’s forces will somehow end up deployed to support Kiev’s fight against Moscow.

Germany backs French push to supply Ukraine with long-range weapons

European countries intend to create yet another “capability coalition” to arm Ukrainian soldiers with long-range weapons, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stated, echoing an initiative floated by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Putin claims ‘neo-Nazi Kiev regime’ tried to disrupt Russian elections

The continuing Ukrainian incursions into and strikes on Russia's border regions are primarily aimed at disrupting the ongoing election in the country, President Vladimir Putin of Russia has claimed.

Ukraine says needs massive mobilization to relieve frontline forces in war against Russia

Kiev wants to mobilize up to 500,000 additional troops mostly to replace frontline soldiers that have not had a proper rest for months, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has announced quoted by the Financial Times daily.

Putin warns west Russia ready for nuclear war

President Vladimir Putin of Russia warned the West on Wednesday that Moscow was technically ready for a nuclear war and that if the U.S. sent troops to Ukraine it would be considered a significant escalation of the conflict.

EU officials say Russia’s response to asset seizure could trigger global financial collapse

While Brussels is searching for legal loopholes to send frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, it must keep some of the cash as a “safety buffer”, should its clearing house Euroclear get in trouble, potentially jeopardizing the entire global financial system, a senior EU official has told Reuters.

US announces $300mn emergency security assistance package for Ukraine

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has announced a new $300 million security assistance package for Ukraine.

Moscow doesn’t want direct conflict with NATO: US intelligence

Russia doesn’t want a direct conflict either with the United States or NATO, according to a report presented by Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines during US Senate Intelligence Committee hearings.

European weapons imports doubled amid Ukraine war: Report

European nations nearly doubled their ars imports over the last five years, with the conflict in Ukraine as the primary factor behind the increase, according to new data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

NATO chief dismisses Pope’s ‘white flag’ appeal to Ukraine

Ukraine needs more military aid before it can start negotiating a peace agreement with Russia, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has stated. This follows comments by Pope Francis that Kiev should have “the courage of the white flag” and begin talks with Moscow.

Russia producing three times more artillery shells than NATO: Report

Moscow is producing three times more artillery shells than Kiev’s military backers, CNN has reported, citing Western intelligence estimates.

Ukraine rejects Pope’s appeal for negotiations with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sharply rejected an appeal by Pope Francis for peace negotiations with Moscow.

Britain pressures Germany on long-range missile for Ukraine

Western nations should enhance their military support to Ukraine and “invest” more in NATO, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron told Germany’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily in an interview. London is ready to work with Berlin on “solving the issues” preventing Germany from providing Kiev with its long-range Taurus missiles, he added.

France gathering alliance of countries capable to dispatching forces to Ukraine: Report

France is gathering an alliance of countries that may send troops to Ukraine in theory, the Politico has reported, commenting on a visit of French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne to Lithuania.

Diplomats say NATO should prepare for US to leave amid Ukraine war

NATO could face a serious risk of the US leaving the alliance if Donald Trump is re-elected as the US president in November, the Telegraph has reported, citing several diplomats from the bloc’s member states. Europe’s NATO countries should develop some strategy to deal with the consequences of such an eventuality and reconsider the bloc’s defense capabilities, they warned.

Ukraine rejects proposed peace summit with Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's idea to hold a peace summit with Russia's participation.

Germany says nobody wants to send military servicemen to Ukraine

Discussions about NATO boots on the ground in Ukraine need to end, because nobody actually wants that to happen, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has stated.

Zelensky thinking about firing Ukrainian FM amid war: Report

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is thinking about dismissing his Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, the outlet Strana has reported, citing a source in the presidential office.

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