Author: Mirits

PARIS — An Ariane 6 rocket roared skyward with a French military reconnaissance satellite aboard Thursday in the first commercial flight for the European heavy-lift launcher. The rocket took off smoothly from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, quickly disappearing into thick clouds. Video images beamed back from the rocket showed the Earth’s beautiful colors and curvature. The rocket’s mission was to deliver the CSO-3 military observation satellite into orbit at an altitude of around 800 kilometers. It was the first commercial mission for Ariane 6 after its maiden flight in July 2024. …

WASHINGTON — A top Trump administration official said Thursday he would travel to Saudi Arabia to meet with Ukrainian representatives for talks about a ceasefire to pause Russia’s invasion. “We’re now in discussions to coordinate a meeting with the Ukrainians in Riyadh, or even potentially Jeddah,” said Steve Witkoff, who serves as U.S. President Donald Trump’s special Middle East envoy. He added: “The idea is to get down a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire as well.” He said Trump felt Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made amends after the two leaders’ confrontation in the White House last Friday. “He felt that Zelenskyy’s letter was a very positive first step. There was an apology. There was an acknowledgement that the United States has done so much for the country of Ukraine, and a sense of gratitude,” Witkoff said. Zelenskyy, meanwhile, was in Brussels with European leaders for emergency talks. “We will arm ourselves faster, smarter and more efficiently than Russia,” said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who holds the European Union’s rotating presidency. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen advanced a plan to loosen budget rules so countries that are willing can spend much more on defense, alongside commitments to encourage the 27 member countries to invest a total of about $863 billion in defense over the next four years. “We are very thankful that we are not alone and these are not just words,” Zelenskyy said. “We feel it. It’s very important.” French President Emmanuel Macron said ahead of talks that EU members would “take decisive steps forward,” while he expressed concerns about shifts in U.S. support for Ukraine under Trump. “The future of Europe does not have to be decided in Washington or Moscow,” Macron said. French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Thursday that France is sharing intelligence with Ukraine, a move that followed the United States saying it was cutting off intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Wednesday that the United States had, for the moment, ended sharing its intelligence with Kyiv, although the move could be short-lived after Zelenskyy said the exchanges with Trump in the Oval Office last week had been “regrettable” and that Ukraine was ready for peace talks with Russia. Trump earlier in the week ordered the U.S. to suspend military aid to Kyiv’s fighters. Since the start of the war in 2022, the United States has provided … “US envoy to travel to Saudi Arabia for talks with Ukrainians” →

European Union leaders vowed to ramp up funding for Ukraine and their own defense at a summit in Brussels on Thursday as they take steps to rearm in ways they haven’t since the end of the Cold War. The summit, also attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was the first for all 27 EU members since last week’s confrontational White House meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy — and after Washington’s decision to suspend aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. “Europe faces a clear and present danger to protect itself and defend itself, as we have to put Ukraine in a position to protect itself and to push for a lasting and just peace,” European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said about her $865 billion “rearm Europe” plan. The plan aims to drastically boost Europe’s defense arsenal against what many here see as a growing Russian threat — and possibly the U.S.’s disengagement from the region. Von der Leyen spoke alongside Zelenskyy, who was invited for part of the summit. “We are very thankful that we are not alone, and these are not just words,” Zelenskyy said. “We feel it.” Beyond boosting Europe’s conventional arsenal, French President Emmanuel Macron has floated extending his country’s nuclear arsenal to other European allies, which he also explained to French voters back home. In a televised address to the nation Wednesday, he called Russia a threat to Europe for years to come, remarks denounced by Moscow. In Brussels, many EU leaders echoed the urgency of rearming, like Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina, whose own country borders Russia and has already sharply boosted its defense spending. “We see good proposals [from] von der Leyen, but we see it’s just one step,” Silina said. “We need more proposals going forward. And we see it’s really a good opportunity for Ukraine to get peace — but through strength.” The EU sees a strong peace deal for Kyiv as serving its own interests as well to ensure Russia doesn’t go beyond Ukraine to attack its own member states. But some European leaders have misgivings, including Hungary’s Viktor Orban, who has friendly relations with Moscow. Just as important as pouring more money into defense, analysts say, is investing strategically and pooling resources. Ian Lesser, Brussels bureau office head for the German Marshall Fund of the United States, said cooperation was necessary. “The resources that would be needed … “EU leaders vow to ramp up funding to defend their countries, Ukraine” →

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis, battling pneumonia in hospital for nearly three weeks, remained stable on Thursday and did not have any new episodes of respiratory crisis, the Vatican said.  In a sign of progress as the 88-year-old pontiff continues treatment, the pope’s doctors said they would not issue another medical bulletin until Saturday, “considering the stability of the clinical picture.”  Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 with a severe respiratory infection that has required continuously evolving treatment.  In the latest detailed medical update on his condition, the Vatican said the pope had not had a fever and his blood tests had remained stable. Despite pausing the daily readouts about his condition, the doctors continued to call the pope’s prognosis “guarded,” meaning he was not yet out of danger.  The tone of the updates from the Vatican has been more upbeat in recent days, following what was described as two episodes of “acute respiratory insufficiency” on Monday.   On Thursday, the Vatican said the pope had been able to work between receiving his treatments and taking rest.   It also said the pontiff, who has used a wheelchair in recent years due to knee and back pain, had continued with some physical therapy to help with mobility, which first started on Wednesday.  Monday’s respiratory episodes had required Francis to use non-invasive mechanical ventilation, which involves placing a mask over the face to help push air into the lungs.  The pope is now only receiving ventilation at night, said the Vatican. During the day, he receives oxygen via a small hose under his nose.  Francis has not been seen in public since entering the hospital, his longest such absence since his papacy started 12 years ago. His doctors have not said how long the treatment might last.  The pope, who is known to work himself to exhaustion, has continued to work from the hospital. On Thursday, the Vatican announced the appointments of two bishops that would have required his approval.   The pope has experienced several bouts of ill health over the last two years and is prone to lung infections because he had pleurisy as a young adult and had part of one lung removed.  Double pneumonia is a serious infection in both lungs that can inflame and scar them, making it difficult to breathe. …

About 20% of Ukraine’s territory — including thousands of villages and small towns — is controlled by Russia. Life changed dramatically for many Ukrainians after Russia’s invasion, and some places — like Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar and Vovchansk — were almost fully destroyed. Kateryna Besedina looks at how some Ukrainians are coping with the upheaval in this story narrated by Anna Rice. Camera: Serge Sokolov. …

Berlin — A German court on Thursday convicted five people of plotting to overthrow the government in a far-right coup and kidnap the former health minister. The Koblenz Higher Regional Court sentenced the four ringleaders to prison sentences between five years and nine months to eight years. A fifth defendant received a sentence of two years and 10 months, German news agency dpa reported. The defendants, four men aged 46 to 58 and a 77-year-old woman, were accused of founding or being a member of a terrorist organization called “United Patriots” and of preparing a highly treasonous enterprise against the German government. Federal prosecutors said during the trial that the group was linked to the so-called Reich Citizens scene that rejects the legitimacy of Germany’s postwar constitution and has similarities to the Sovereign Citizens and QAnon movements in the United States. Prosecutors said they intended to create “conditions similar to civil war” by using explosives to cause nationwide blackouts and then by kidnapping former Health Minister Karl Lauterbach — a prominent advocate of strict coronavirus measures during the pandemic. There were no indications the group, which called itself United Patriots, was close to launching a coup. But prosecutors said the group’s procurement of weapons and money showed they were “dangerous criminals who wanted to implement their plans.” The case is separate from that of the more than two dozen people arrested in December 2022, also for planning to topple the government. Among the plotters was a member of the far-right Alternative for Germany party. …

French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Thursday that France is sharing intelligence with Ukraine, a move that followed the United States saying it was cutting off intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. The move comes as European Union leaders gathered Thursday in Brussels, along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for a summit to discuss boosting defense spending and bolstering pledges of support for Ukraine in its battle against Russia’s invasion. French President Emmanuel Macron said ahead of the talks that EU members would “take decisive steps forward,” while he expressed concerns about shifts in U.S. support for Ukraine under new President Donald Trump. “The future of Europe does not have to be decided in Washington or Moscow,” Macron said. Trump earlier in the week ordered the U.S. to suspend military aid to Kyiv’s fighters after his contentious meeting last week with Zelenskyy at the White House. CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Wednesday that the United States had also, for the moment, ended sharing its intelligence with Kyiv, although it could be short-lived after Zelenskyy said the exchanges with Trump in the Oval Office had been “regrettable” and that Ukraine was ready for peace talks with Russia. “I think on the military front and the intelligence front, the pause [that prompted Ukraine’s president to respond], I think will go away,” Ratcliffe told the Fox Business Network. “I think we’ll work shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine as we have to push back on the aggression that’s there, but to put the world in a better place for these peace negotiations to move forward,” he said. Since the start of the war in 2022, the United States has provided Ukraine with significant intelligence, including critical information its military needs for targeting Russian forces. Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, told reporters Wednesday that the U.S. “had taken a step back” and that the administration was “reviewing all aspects” of its intelligence relationship with Ukraine. Meanwhile, Waltz told CBS News that the U.S. is moving quickly to start peace negotiations to end the war and sign a mineral rights deal with Kyiv. “I think we’re going to see movement in very short order,” Waltz said. He said Trump officials will meet with Ukrainian officials as they conduct shuttle diplomacy with Russia. “I have literally just been on the phone with my counterpart, the Ukrainian national security adviser, talking about times, locations, delegations,” Waltz said. Reaching a peace … “France provides military intelligence to Ukraine as US steps back” →

UNITED NATIONS — Women’s rights regressed last year in a quarter of countries around the world, according to a report published by UN Women on Thursday, due to factors ranging from climate change to democratic backsliding. “The weakening of democratic institutions has gone hand in hand with backlash on gender equality,” the report said, adding that “anti-rights actors are actively undermining long-standing consensus on key women’s rights issues.” “Almost one-quarter of countries reported that backlash on gender equality is hampering implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action,” the report continued, referring to the document from the 1995 World Conference on Women. In the 30 years since the conference, the U.N. said that progress has been mixed. In parliaments around the world, female representation has more than doubled since 1995, but men still comprise about three-quarters of parliamentarians. The number of women with social protection benefits increased by a third between 2010 and 2023, though 2 billion women and girls still live in places without such protections. Gender employment gaps “have stagnated for decades.” Sixty-three percent of women between the ages of 25 and 54 have paid employment, compared to 92% of men in the same demographic. The report cites the COVID-19 pandemic, global conflicts, climate change and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), as all new potential threats to gender equality. Data presented by the UN Women report found that conflict-related sexual violence has spiked 50% in the past 10 years, with 95% of victims being children or young women. In 2023, 612 million women lived within 50 kilometers of armed conflict, a 54% increase since 2010. And in 12 countries in Europe and Central Asia, at least 53% of women have experienced one or more forms of gender-based violence online. “Globally, violence against women and girls persists at alarming rates. Across their lifetime, around one in three women are subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence by a non-partner,” the report said. The report sets out a multi-part roadmap to address gender inequality, such as fostering equitable access to new technologies like AI, measures toward climate justice, investments to combat poverty, increasing participation in public affairs and fighting against gendered violence. …

The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) announced a new roadmap to peace following the call of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan for his group to disarm. The plan by DEM will include meetings in 101 cities in Turkey and Kurdish regions to discuss Ocalan’s call. DEM Party Deputy Co-Chair Ozturk Turkdogan said, “In order for Ocalan to fulfill his call, his conditions must be corrected.” Click here for the full story in Kurdish. …

As European Union leaders prepare for emergency talks to ramp up military spending after the Trump administration suspended aid to Ukraine, several Russia experts say Moscow is trying to capitalize on fragmenting Western cohesion. Following last week’s televised Oval Office clash between U.S. and Ukrainian leaders, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov on Monday accused Europe of seeking to prolong the war, adding that changes in U.S. “foreign policy configurations” largely coincide with Moscow’s vision. The comments came before an EU financial summit planned for Thursday that aims to grapple with stabilizing continental security and helping Ukraine after decades of dependence on the U.S. defense umbrella. In a recent interview with the military newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called President Donald Trump a “pragmatist” whose motto is “common sense.” He also said, “All tragedies in the world” over the past 500 years “originated in Europe or occurred owing to European policies,” while “the Americans played no seditious, let alone ‘inflammatory,’ role.” Calling Europe Enemy No. 1 is “becoming the main trend in the Kremlin’s policy,” said exiled independent Russian political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin. “Therefore, having changed his tune … [Lavrov] explained to the audience that the U.S. is, if not a friend, then a reliable partner, and that means Britain and France are always to blame for everything.” Oreshkin also said the relatively positive U.S. depiction shows the Kremlin is hoping for an “aggravation of contradictions” between Europe and America. But Novaya Gazeta columnist Andrei Kolesnikov said it was premature for Russian authorities to assume Trump is taking Russia’s side in the war. Trump’s “interest, which he equates with the interests of the United States, is to end the conflict,” Kolesnikov told VOA. “But there are two sides to the conflict. And if during future negotiations … [Trump] remains dissatisfied with the intransigence of the Russian side, no one will stand on ceremony. New [U.S.] sanctions and measures to reduce oil prices will follow with the same decisiveness and speed as [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy’s ‘punishment.’” Kolesnikov was referring to the contentious Feb. 28 Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, in which top U.S. officials accused him of being insufficiently grateful for U.S. military support. The meeting concluded without the signing of an expected defense deal involving Ukrainian rare-earth minerals. With long-held certainties about U.S. reliability as a security partner suddenly in doubt, EU and NATO leaders … “Moscow aims to exploit US-Europe rift, experts warn” →

Kazakhstan is cooperating with the United States on ensuring nuclear and biological security. As part of this cooperation, a laboratory for studying extremely dangerous infections has been built in Kazakhstan. This center is mainly engaged in medical and biological research. However, the Russian press continues to spread disinformation about the research.  Click here for the full story in Uzbek.  …

Russians are carefully watching U.S. President Donald Trump’s push for an end to the war in Ukraine after his heated encounter last week with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Elizabeth Cherneff narrates our report from Moscow. …

WARSAW, POLAND — South Korea and Poland signed a cooperation agreement on Wednesday as the democratic allies increasingly find themselves united by concerns about the global security situation despite the vast geographical distance between them.  Foreign ministers Cho Tae-yul of South Korea and Poland’s Radek Sikorski signed an action plan which outlines their relations in the areas of politics, economy, defense and culture through 2028.  “We both reaffirmed that there is a need to further strengthen our cooperation for transregional security cooperation, encompassing both Europe and the Indo-Pacific within the framework of the NATO-IP4 partnership,” said Cho, referring to NATO’s partnership with allies in the Indo-Pacific region, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.  South Korea and Poland have been strategic partners since 2013, with South Korea in recent years becoming a major supplier of weapons as NATO member Poland carries out a massive investment program to modernize its armed forces.  “Poland is the largest recipient of Korean military equipment worldwide, and we would like to further develop this cooperation with the prospect of relocating production and technology transfer to Poland,” Sikorski told reporters. “Poland can also serve as a hub for further promotion of Korean military equipment in Europe and for the rebuilding of Ukraine.”  The two nations share concerns about the situation in Ukraine, which lies on Poland’s eastern border and has sent jitters across NATO’s eastern flank.  South Korea and Poland, along with other European allies, have also been concerned about North Korea’s support for Russia in the war, including its dispatch of North Korean soldiers to fight alongside the Russians. Seoul worries that Russia could reward North Korea with transfers of sensitive technology to enhance its nuclear and missile programs.  Cho told a news briefing that his country is launching an assistance package of over $2 billion, building on $400 million provided to Ukraine last year, “to address Ukraine’s urgent needs in energy, infrastructure, health care and education.”  Sikorski and Cho also discussed expanding access to Polish food products in the South Korean market.  “Poland is now Korea’s fifth largest trading partner within the EU (European Union), and Korea has become the largest Asian investor in Poland as of 2024. This is a testament to the trust and potential both nations see in each other’s economic future,” Cho said. …

You do not hear much from Russian civilians in international media as Russia’s government restricts foreign reporters working in the country. For VOA, Genia Dulot met with some Russian tourists visiting the Indian Ocean republic of Maldives to hear what they think about international sanctions and U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine. …

U.S. President Donald Trump said late Tuesday he received a letter from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table to discuss ending Russia’s three-year war on Ukraine. “Wouldn’t that be beautiful?” Trump said in an address to the U.S. Congress. “It’s time to stop this madness. It’s time to halt the killing. It’s time to end this senseless war. If you want to end wars, you have to talk to both sides.” His description of the letter matched what Zelenskyy posted earlier in the day on social media, saying Ukraine was ready to negotiate “as soon as possible” and would “work under” Trump’s “strong leadership” to reach a peace deal. Zelenskyy said his acrimonious encounter with Trump at the White House last Friday was “regrettable” and that he remains ready to sign a deal that would give the United States substantial, long-term rights to Ukraine’s rare-earth minerals needed for the American manufacture of technology products. In a post on X, the Ukrainian leader said in a statement that his discussions with Trump and Vice President JD Vance “did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive.” Trump ordered Zelenskyy to leave the White House, and the minerals deal was left unsigned. Trump and Vance, seated close to each other in the Oval Office, assailed Zelenskyy as being ungrateful for the more than $100 billion worth of munitions the United States has sent to Kyiv’s forces to fend off Moscow’s 2022 invasion, even though the Ukrainian leader had on numerous occasions thanked the U.S. “We do really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence,” Zelenskyy said on Tuesday. “And we remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins,” an anti-tank missile weapons system. “We are grateful for this.” “I would like to reiterate Ukraine’s commitment to peace,” Zelenskyy said. “None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians.” Vance told VOA on Tuesday, “We do believe that it’s in Russia’s best interest, but also Ukraine and the United States’s best interest, to bring this conflict to a close.” Zelenskyy said the first … “Trump says time to ‘stop this madness’ and negotiate Russia-Ukraine peace” →

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis was resting Wednesday, the start of the solemn Lenten period leading up to Holy Week observances, after sleeping through the night with a ventilation mask as he undergoes hospital treatment for double pneumonia. In its latest update, the Vatican said that the pope rested well overnight, waking up shortly after 8 a.m. Pope Francis remained in stable condition, with a guarded prognosis, meaning he was not out of danger. The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, had two respiratory crises on Monday in a setback to his recovery. On Tuesday, he was breathing with just the help of supplemental oxygen after respiratory crises a day earlier, but resumed using a ventilation mask at night, the Vatican said. Francis’ hospitalization began on Feb. 14 and is the longest of his 12-year papacy. Ash Wednesday Francis’ treatment continues as the Vatican prepares for Lent, the solemn period beginning with Ash Wednesday and leading up to Easter on April 20. A cardinal has been designated to take Francis’ place at Vatican celebrations, with a traditional service and procession in Rome On Ash Wednesday, observant Catholics receive a sign of the cross in ashes on their foreheads, a gesture that underscores human mortality. It is an obligatory day of fasting and abstinence for Catholics that signals the start of Christianity’s most penitent season. Vatican prepares for Lent without Francis The pope was also supposed to attend a spiritual retreat this coming weekend with the rest of the Holy See hierarchy. On Tuesday, the Vatican said the retreat would go ahead without Francis but in “spiritual communion” with him. The theme, selected weeks ago and well before Francis got sick, was “Hope in eternal life.” …

BERLIN — Germany said on Tuesday it had halted new development aid to Rwanda and was reviewing its existing commitments in response to the African nation’s role in the conflict in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. The German development ministry said Berlin had informed Rwanda in advance of the move and urged it to withdraw support for the M23 rebel group, which has made advances in eastern Congo. Congo, U.N. experts and Western powers accuse Rwanda of backing the group. Rwanda denies this and says it is defending itself against ethnic Hutu-led militias bent on slaughtering Tutsis in Congo and threatening Rwanda. Rwanda’s foreign ministry called Germany’s action “wrong and counterproductive.” “Countries like Germany that bear a historical responsibility for the recurring instability in this region should know better than to apply one-sided, coercive measures,” Rwanda’s foreign ministry said in a statement late on Tuesday. The German ministry said Berlin last pledged aid of $98 million to Rwanda in October 2022 for the period 2022 to 2024. The M23 group has captured swathes of eastern Congo and valuable mineral deposits since January. The ongoing onslaught is the gravest escalation of a long-running conflict rooted in the spillover into Congo of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and the struggle for control of Congo’s vast mineral resources. …

The clinical condition of Pope Francis remained stable, the Vatican said Tuesday evening, and he was “alert, cooperative with therapies, and oriented.”   However, the statement also said that Francis’ prognosis “remains guarded,” which means he is not out of danger.    Francis, the leader of the world’s nearly 1.4 billion Roman Catholics, has been in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for more than two weeks.    He was admitted on February 14 with a case of bronchitis that worsened into double pneumonia.    On Tuesday morning, the 88-year-old pontiff “transitioned to high-flow oxygen therapy and underwent respiratory physiotherapy,” according to a Vatican statement.   On Tuesday night, the pope was set to resume noninvasive mechanical ventilation throughout the night.  While Francis’ heart, kidney and blood measurements are stable, “his health situation remains complex,” the Vatican said.    On Monday, the pope underwent two bronchoscopies to remove “a significant accumulation of endobronchial mucus.”    The Vatican said Francis remained “alert, oriented and cooperative at all times” during the procedures.   However, Dr. John Coleman, a pulmonary critical care doctor at Chicago’s Northwestern Medicine, told The Associated Press, said Francis seems to be “taking little steps forward and then steps back.”  “The fact that they had to go in there and remove [the mucus] manually is concerning, because it means that [the pope] is not clearing the secretions on his own,” said Coleman, who is not part of the pope’s medical team.  This hospital stay is Francis’ longest during his time as pope. He is prone to lung infections, having had part of a lung removed when he was a young man.  Francis’ hospital stay is not the record amount of time a pope has been hospitalized. In 1981, Pope John Paul II spent 55 days in Gemelli for a minor operation that resulted in a serious infection that extended the pontiff’s hospital stay.   …

U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a “pause” Monday to military aid shipments to Ukraine with immediate effect, which his administration said was aimed at forcing all sides to peace talks. As Henry Ridgwell reports from London, European leaders have said it is vital to continue weapons shipments to Kyiv — but there are doubts over how long Ukraine can keep on fighting. Anna Chernikova contributed. …

Fourteen militia groups control two-thirds of the Central African Republic (C.A.R.) and parts of the capital city, Bangui. Russian military involvement has been stained with gross human rights violations, corruption and appropriation of natural resources. …

The Kremlin is planning to use current frictions between the United States and European countries on the war in Ukraine to sow lasting divisions between Washington and Europe, regional experts told VOA Russian.  Click here for the full story in Russian.    …

European Union leaders will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday in Brussels to discuss boosting defense spending for Ukraine, as well as Europe’s own security in the face of Russia. The meeting comes amid fears that the United States’ longtime support to Europe may end. But does the EU have the leadership, means and public support to go it alone? Lisa Bryant reports from Paris. …

Paris — With Washington’s sudden pause on military aid to Ukraine as a backdrop, worried European Union leaders meet in Brussels Thursday to discuss steps to beef up EU defenses against Russia. “The question is no longer whether Europe’s security is threatened in a very real way, or whether Europe should shoulder more of its responsibility for its own security,” said European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen ahead of the summit, as she outlined a multi-pronged $840 billion defense financing plan for the 27-member bloc. “The real question in front of us,” she said, “is whether Europe is prepared to act as decisively as the situation dictates — and whether Europe is ready and able to act with speed and ambition that is needed.” That message has been resonating across multiple emergency summits that gathered European leaders fearful of possible U.S. disengagement, and has resulted in new European defense spending commitments, after years of Washington demands to take on more of the burden. But EU members also face steep challenges as they move to rearm, from sometimes shaky governments and economies, to skeptical populations and a surging far right that is often more favorable toward Russia. Especially concerning for many is the Trump administration’s possible pivot from a longstanding transatlantic alliance. “It raises very big issues for the future of the European Union — and I think people in Europe are very aware of this,” said Ian Lesser, who heads the Brussels office of the German Marshall Fund policy institute. “Is Europe going to address these challenges, whether it’s on trade or defense — in a collective way? Or are countries, member states, going to go their own way?” Sense of urgency For many EU leaders, today’s message is unity. During a summit in London, EU countries and non-member Britain agreed to develop their own peace plan for Ukraine to present to Washington. France and Britain also backed a “coalition of the willing” sending troops to Ukraine to enforce any peace deal. French President Emmanuel Macron — who has long called for a more militarily autonomous Europe — has also suggested extending France’s nuclear deterrence to other European countries. “The sense of urgency is finally catching up with European leaders but it’s not sufficient at the moment,” said Olena Prokopenko, a senior German Marshall Fund fellow. “We see different levels of understanding of the level of threat that Europe is … “Re-arming Europe? EU tested to turn talk into action” →

Moscow — President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday praised Russia’s developing ties with Myanmar, during a visit by the Asian country’s junta chief to its key ally. Russia is a crucial arms supplier to the isolated state, which is struggling to quell violent opposition to the junta’s military rule. “The relations between our countries are steadily developing,” Putin told junta chief Min Aung Hlaing in a televised meeting at the Kremlin. “We have great potential,” he said, hailing growing trade ties. Min Aung Hlaing, who seized power in a 2021 coup, saluted Putin as a “king” and backed Moscow’s full-scale military offensive on Ukraine. “I believe that victory must be yours under your strong and decisive leadership,” he told Putin. Both countries are under heavy Western sanctions — Myanmar following the 2021 coup and Russia after its 2014 annexation of Crimea and its ongoing three-year-long offensive on Ukraine. Russia exports some raw materials and fertilizers to Myanmar, and both sides have talked up the prospect of deepening economic ties alongside their military and political alliance. Meeting the Myanmar delegation earlier on Tuesday, Russia’s Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Moscow saw potential to boost cooperation in energy, nuclear, transport, agriculture and telecoms projects. Moscow’s support has become vital to Myanmar’s military — particularly the air force — as it battles an array of ethnic minority armed groups and pro-democracy guerrillas on multiple fronts. The junta suffered significant territorial losses after a 2023 rebel offensive but its air power has been pivotal to arresting the advance of opposition forces. Russia has sought to boost relations with anti-Western governments, particularly in Asia and Africa, since ordering troops into Ukraine in February 2022. …

BELGRADE, SERBIA — At least three lawmakers were injured on Tuesday, one of them seriously, after chaotic scenes in Serbia ‘s parliament, during which smoke bombs and flares were thrown, further fueling political tensions in the Balkan country. Lawmakers were scheduled to vote on a law that would increase funding for university education, but opposition parties said the ruling majority was also planning to approve dozens of other decisions. They said that was illegal and lawmakers should first confirm the resignation of Prime Minister Milos Vucevic and his government. Chaos erupted about an hour after the parliamentary session started, with opposition lawmakers blowing whistles and holding up a banner reading “Serbia has risen so the regime would fall!” Hundreds of opposition supporters rallied outside the parliament building during the session. Video footage from the assembly hall showed clashes between lawmakers and flares and smoke bombs being thrown. Serbian media said eggs and water bottles also were thrown. Officials later said three people were injured in the disturbance, including lawmaker Jasmina Obradovic, who was taken to a hospital. Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic accused the opposition of being a “terrorist gang.” Defense Minister Bratislav Gasic described those behind the incident as “a disgrace to Serbia.” “The vandalism of opposition MPs has exposed the nature of their personalities and the essence of their political agenda,” Gasic said. Serbia’s populist President Aleksandar Vucic visited Obradovic in the hospital. “Jasmina will win, Serbia will win,” Vucic said in a post on Instagram, showing him holding the lawmaker’s hand in an emergency room. Demands by protesting students The incident reflects a deep political crisis in Serbia, where monthslong anti-corruption protests have rattled a populist government. Vucevic resigned in January as the government faced protests over the collapse in November of a concrete train station canopy in the Serbia’s north that killed 15 people and which critics blamed on rampant corruption. Parliament must confirm the prime minister’s resignation for it to take effect. A rise in education funding has been one of the demands by Serbia’s protesting students, who have been a key driving force behind almost daily street protests that started after the Nov. 1 canopy collapse in Novi Sad. Showdown in parliament Opposition parties have insisted that the government has no authority to pass new laws. Leftist lawmaker Radomir Lazovic said the opposition was ready to support the passing of the student-requested education bill, but not … “At least 3 Serbian lawmakers injured in parliament melee” →

Rome — Pope Francis rested early Tuesday after he suffered further setbacks in his fight against double pneumonia: two new acute respiratory crises that required him to resume using noninvasive mechanical ventilation to breathe.  In its early Tuesday update, the Vatican said: “The pope slept through the night, now rest continues.”  Francis suffered the two crises Monday. Doctors extracted “copious” amounts of mucus that had accumulated in his lungs, the Vatican said in a late update. They performed two bronchoscopies, in which a camera-tipped tube was sent into his airways with a sucker at the tip to suction out fluid.  The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was put back on noninvasive mechanical ventilation: a mask that covers his nose and mouth and pumps oxygen into the lungs.  Francis remained alert, oriented and cooperated with medical personnel, the Vatican said. The prognosis remained guarded, meaning he was not out of danger. Doctors didn’t say if he remained in stable condition, though they referred to the crises in the past tense, suggesting they were over.  The crises were a new setback in what has become a more than two-week battle by the frail pope to overcome a complex respiratory infection.  The Vatican said the mucus that had accumulated in Francis’ lungs was his body’s reaction to the original pneumonia infection and not a new infection, given laboratory tests don’t indicate any new bacteria.  Dr. John Coleman, a pulmonary critical care doctor at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said the episodes were more concerning than the last one on Friday, in which Francis had a coughing fit, inhaled some vomit that needed to be extracted and then was put on the noninvasive mechanical ventilation for a day and then didn’t need it anymore.  The use of bronchoscopies reflects a worrying level of mucus and phlegm in the lungs, Coleman said. “The fact that they had to go in there and remove it manually is concerning, because it means that he is not clearing the secretions on his own,” he said.  “He’s taking little steps forward and then steps back,” said Coleman, who is not involved in Francis’ care.  Francis, who is not physically active, uses a wheelchair and is overweight, had been undergoing respiratory physiotherapy to try to improve his lung function. But the accumulation of the secretions in his lungs was … “Pope resting after acute breathing crises forced him to resume noninvasive ventilation “ →