All posts tagged: War in Ukraine

Hat sich Merz verrechnet? – POLITICO

Hat sich Merz verrechnet? – POLITICO

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– Sondervermögen: Merz macht Tempo, doch SPD, Linke und Grüne bremsen ihn und die Union offenbar aus. – Im 200-Sekunden-Interview: Maximilian Krah, der umstrittene AfD-Europaparlamentarier, wechselt in den Bundestag. Was will er dort erreichen und wie steht er zur Idee eines Dexit? – Staatliche Förderung: Wie sich die AfD mit den anderen Parteien und dem Bundestagspräsidium voraussichtlich weiter um Zuschüsse zu ihrer Desiderius-Erasmus-Stiftung streiten wird.  Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es morgens um 5 Uhr. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team bringen euch jeden Morgen auf den neuesten Stand in Sachen Politik — kompakt, europäisch, hintergründig. Und für alle Hauptstadt-Profis:Unser Berlin Playbook-Newsletter liefert jeden Morgen die wichtigsten Themen und Einordnungen. Hier gibt es alle Informationen und das kostenlose Playbook-Abo. Mehr von Berlin Playbook-Host und Executive Editor von POLITICO in Deutschland, Gordon Repinski, gibt es auch hier:  Instagram: @gordon.repinski | X: @GordonRepinski. Source link

Ukraine can be part of peace talks — but main players will be US and Russia – POLITICO

Ukraine can be part of peace talks — but main players will be US and Russia – POLITICO

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Later in the day, Trump declined to directly answer a reporter’s question about Ukraine’s role in the coming talks. “It’s an interesting question,” Trump replied, before suggesting that Ukraine chose to enter into a war with Russia after its invasion. “I think they have to make peace. That was not a good war to go into.” The Trump administration’s decision to downplay Ukraine’s role in negotiations with Russia — and to reopen communication channels with the Russian leader — rattled European leaders and prompted an outpouring of criticism for Trump’s methods.  “Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity are unconditional,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said Wednesday night. “Our priority must now be strengthening Ukraine and providing robust security guarantees.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy put on a brave face after his conversation with Trump on Wednesday, saying the two leaders had a “meaningful conversation” about peace. But the Ukrainian leader was more forceful in his language on Thursday, saying he and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had agreed on a call that “no negotiations with Putin …

Putin ally Schröder avoids Nord Stream 2 inquiry after burnout diagnosis – POLITICO

Putin ally Schröder avoids Nord Stream 2 inquiry after burnout diagnosis – POLITICO

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According to his doctor’s statement, sent to the dpa news agency Tuesday, Schröder is suffering from severe exhaustion, lack of energy, concentration and memory problems, and he’s also been diagnosed with sleep disorders and reduced emotional resilience. Although his hearing has been rescheduled for March, his doctor’s statement said that Schröder is “neither currently nor in the foreseeable future able to cope with the physical and psychological stress of a prolonged — especially public — questioning by an investigative committee,” as such a hearing could further cause his health to deteriorate. Schröder, a Social Democrat who governed Germany in coalition with the Greens from 1998 to 2005, is well known for his ties to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin’s regime, having served as a board member of Russian state energy companies after his tenure as chancellor.  As chancellor, Schröder promoted Nord Stream 1, and as chairman of the board of Nord Stream 2 AG — a direct subsidiary of the Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom — he promoted the construction of the new pipeline. Source link

We have other options – POLITICO

We have other options – POLITICO

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4. BTW, we are still into this globalization thing. At a time when Trump is touting trade tariffs and “America First,” von der Leyen’s speech seemed designed to send the opposite signal: We’re open to doing business with anyone. Von der Leyen addressed potential trading partners directly, saying: “If there are mutual benefits in sight, we are ready to engage with you.” Indeed, a key message from the speech was that Europe wants to diversify its trading relationships away from America.  While Trump is declaring an emergency on America’s southern border and gearing up for tariffs against Mexico, von der Leyen gave special mention to EU trade relations with Latin America. At a time when Trump is touting trade tariffs and “America First,” von der Leyen’s speech seemed designed to send the opposite signal. | Morry Gash/AFP via Getty Images And while acknowledging the economic threat from unfair Chinese trading practices, she also said Europe had to “engage constructively” with Beijing. 5. America? Who? Tellingly, von der Leyen spoke about Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, China …

Romanian hard-right chief pitches himself as Europe’s next Meloni – POLITICO

Romanian hard-right chief pitches himself as Europe’s next Meloni – POLITICO

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“Even if we are conservative, which is not to the liking of the establishment in Brussels, even if we believe in many of the values President Trump believes in,” Simion said, “we also believe that we need a strong, united Europe.” The politician insisted he would “work together” with the EU’s mainstream parties if elected, with Romania’s full accession to the visa-free Schengen zone, pushing for a directly elected EU executive and boosting industrial production in the bloc at the top of his list of priorities. But unlike Meloni, Simion has openly vowed he would push back against Brussels even if that means breaking EU rules in a move more reminiscent of the populist leaders of Hungary and Slovakia, Viktor Orbán and Robert Fico. “I would be a liar to say we would respect EU law,” he said. “If tomorrow [there is] a new law that we didn’t vote for … or laws that are not good for Romania,” he said, “I will try to use all my powers to stop what is doing harm …

Senior European officials facepalm over Scholz’s Putin call   – POLITICO

Senior European officials facepalm over Scholz’s Putin call   – POLITICO

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“We need to act unified, we need to coordinate, this call was not coordinated between allies, even [though] we got a very deep brief later on,” said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna. Scholz said that during his phone call with Putin, he urged the Russian president “to end Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and to withdraw its troops.” According to a German government spokesperson, Scholz had informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the call beforehand. “The Federal Chancellor urged Russia to be prepared to negotiate with Ukraine with the aim of achieving a just and lasting peace,” the spokesperson said in a statement. Asked whether he would speak to Putin, the EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell said: “I don’t think so.” He added: “It doesn’t look like he [Putin] is willing to negotiate, to the contrary.” “What I see in general is that Putin only listens to facts on the ground,” said Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp about the call. Source link

Russia launches Department of European Problems to deal with EU – POLITICO

Russia launches Department of European Problems to deal with EU – POLITICO

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Russia has a new governmental department to deal with the EU and NATO: The Department of European Problems. The unit already existed within Russia’s foreign ministry, but was previously known as the Department of Pan-European Cooperation (DOC) before it was last week renamed the much spicier Department of European Problems (DEP), according to Russian media. Maria Zakharova, Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson, told local media the name change reflected “changes in geopolitical realities,” including the “obvious degradation of multilateral cooperation structures in Europe.” Russia’s relations with Europe have been in a deep freeze since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. The EU imposed sweeping sanctions on the Kremlin, confiscating Russian assets and pledging support for Ukraine. Moscow announced its withdrawal from the Council of Europe in March 2022, and in July this year suspended its participation in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly. Source link

It’s ‘our business’ if we want to deploy North Korean troops against Ukraine – POLITICO

It’s ‘our business’ if we want to deploy North Korean troops against Ukraine – POLITICO

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Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that it was Russia’s prerogative to deploy North Korean troops for the war in Ukraine. Speaking to journalists at the final press conference of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, Putin said: “This is our sovereign decision. Whether we use it or not, where, how, or whether we engage in exercises, training, or transfer some experience. It’s our business.” Putin’s comments mark the first time that the Russian president commented on the dispatch of the North Korean military to Russia. While he did not deny their presence on Russian territory, he did not specify why they were there. Source link

The winners and losers of the new European Commission – POLITICO

The winners and losers of the new European Commission – POLITICO

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The decision to give the center-right Austrian People’s Party’s Magnus Brunner the internal affairs and migration portfolio could be read as Brussels’ tacit recognition of the scale of the migration challenge Europe has faced, especially in the wake of the so-called migration crisis.  Ireland There were signs Dublin might be lumped with a tiny portfolio after Prime Minister Simon Harris was the first leader to publicly defy von der Leyen’s demand for countries to send both a male and female candidate. That, coupled with the fact members of the European Parliament from candidate Michael McGrath’s party openly campaigned against von der Leyen, built up a sense of foreboding. But in the end, McGrath received the portfolio for democracy, justice and the rule of law. Not too shabby, all things considered.  Losers Glenn Micallef  The Maltese candidate’s lack of experience as a minister and short political career led to a portfolio with little relevance at the European level and even less clout. The youngest commissioner, 35-year-old Micallef, received the intergenerational fairness, youth, culture and sport portfolio.  …

Ukraine says it’s seized nearly 600 Russian POWs in Kursk attack – POLITICO

Ukraine says it’s seized nearly 600 Russian POWs in Kursk attack – POLITICO

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Russian forces have been gaining ground in Ukraine’s Donetsk region around Pokrovsk, even as Ukraine’s special military operation inside Russia has seen it capture swathes of territory, towns and villages. Ukraine’s goal in Kursk, Syrskyi added, is to divert Russian forces from other areas of the front line, in particular from Pokrovsk and Kurakhove. “As of today, we took control over 1,294 square kilometers territory there [in Kursk], 100 settlements,” Syrskyi said. “Also because of our forces’ successful actions, we managed to increase our exchange fund, as of today we took 594 prisoners of war in this direction.” This is the first time that a Ukrainian official has disclosed the number of POWs captured. “As you know Russia had been shelling our territories from Kursk, causing numerous casualties among locals,” Syrskyi explained. “So, with the goal to stop the shooting, create the security zone, protection of our civilian population, soldiers and infrastructure, and also to conduct as pre-emptive operation against the enemy who was amassing forces near our Sumy region, we decided to go into Kursk.” …