Category: European Union

WASHINGTON — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s attention-grabbing overseas debut may have irritated some key Republicans and alienated allies in Europe, where his statements on Ukraine and NATO went down like a lead balloon. But his forceful comments gained him a nod from one key listener: U.S. President Donald Trump. And Hegseth — who on Saturday wraps up a weeklong trip to Belgium, Germany and Poland — delivered a message at the heart of Trump’s “America First” agenda. Speaking at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday, Hegseth said that a return to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders was unrealistic, and that the Trump administration does not see NATO membership for Kyiv as part of a solution to the war triggered by Russia’s 2022 invasion. Trump broadly backed Hegseth’s remarks on Thursday on NATO membership, saying, “I think probably that’s true,” because, he said, Putin would not allow Ukraine to join the military alliance. “I thought his comments were good yesterday, and they’re probably good today,” Trump said. Senator Roger Wicker, the Republican who leads the Pentagon’s main oversight committee in the Senate, had championed Hegseth’s nomination throughout a bruising confirmation review in which Democrats united against the nominee and three Republicans joined them, as questions were raised about Hegseth’s qualifications, temperament and views about women in combat. Asked whether he spent a lot of political capital getting Hegseth, a military veteran and former Fox News personality, confirmed, Wicker said: “I surely did, yes.” Republican Congressman Mike Turner said issues like the future of NATO membership for Ukraine should not be taken off the table. “We don’t need members of the Cabinet, President Trump’s Cabinet, to be defining those in the public,” Turner said Friday on CNN. Republican Congressman Don Bacon responded to Hegseth’s comments by saying that there should be moral clarity on who started the war. “There are consequences of rewarding the invader even if its leader foolishly led over 700,000 of its citizens to slaughter,” Bacon said on social media platform X. Uncle Sam or Uncle Sucker? Trump has played down any tensions. On Friday, he said he had not seen Wicker’s comments but would reach out to him and Hegseth. “Roger’s a very good friend of mine, and Pete is obviously, he’s been doing a great job,” Trump said. Hegseth, in what some analysts saw as walking back his remarks, clarified on Thursday that Trump was the one who … “US defense secretary’s Europe debut irks allies, wins Trump’s nod” →

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for the creation of a unified European military force, saying the continent must be self-reliant amid a persistent threat from Russia and uncertainty about U.S. support — a situation he described as “this new reality.” “We must build the Armed Forces of Europe so that Europe’s future depends only on Europeans and decisions about Europe are made in Europe,” Zelenskyy said in a speech at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 15. Amid concerns in Kyiv and Brussels that they could be sidelined in efforts to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, resulting in a deal favoring Moscow, he repeated that Ukraine and Europe must be involved in any negotiations. “Ukraine will never accept deals behind our backs without our involvement,” Zelenskyy said. “The same rule should apply to all of Europe. No decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine — no decisions about Europe without Europe.” “We must act as Europe, not as some separate people,” Zelenskyy said. Speaking almost three years after Russia launched the full-scale invasion, he said he would “not take NATO membership for Ukraine off the table” and said Kyiv would not agree to any ceasefire without real security guarantees. “If not NATO membership, then conditions to build another NATO in Ukraine,” he said. He questioned the U.S. commitment to Europe, saying: “Does America need Europe? As a market, yes, as an ally — I don’t know.” Zelenskyy’s address came a day after meeting with top U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance, who stressed the need for a “durable, lasting peace” in Ukraine in his speech to the conference on Feb. 14. Zelenskyy told Vance that Ukraine wants “security guarantees” from Washington before any negotiations with Russia on ending almost three years of war. The United States has sent mixed signals on its strategy, sparking worry in Kyiv that Ukraine could be forced into a bad deal that leaves Putin emboldened. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told NATO defense ministers earlier this week that it’s “unrealistic” to expect Ukraine’s borders to return to their pre-2014 positions and said NATO membership is not seen by the White House as part of the solution to the conflict. Ukraine demands Russia withdraw from captured territory and says it must receive NATO membership or equivalent security guarantees to prevent Moscow from attacking again. Speaking in Warsaw on Feb. 14, he again warned that America’s European … “Zelenskyy calls for creation of ‘Armed Forces of Europe’” →

Ukraine would have a “very, very difficult” time surviving without U.S. military support to fend off Russia’s invasion, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a interview broadcast the night before he is scheduled to address the Munich Security Conference. “Probably it will be very, very, very difficult. And of course, you know in all the difficult situations, you have a chance,” he told NBC News. “But we will have low chance — low chance to survive without support of the United States.” Zelenskyy also said that Ukraine has increased its war production but not enough to make up for what it would lose if it did not have U.S. backing. Zelenskyy on Feb. 14 took part in a day of meetings and news briefings at the Munich Security Conference as efforts to seek a resolution to the war ramp up. The Ukrainian president is scheduled to deliver a speech on diplomacy and prospects for Ukraine’s future at the conference on Feb. 15. He will take the spotlight after meeting with top U.S. officials, including Vice President JD Vance, who stressed the need for a “durable, lasting peace” in Ukraine in his speech to the conference on Feb. 14. Zelenskyy told Vance that Ukraine wants “security guarantees” from Washington before any negotiations with Russia on ending almost three years of war. Zelenskyy said in the interview that he doesn’t want to think about Ukraine not being a strategic partner of the United States because it would damage Ukrainian morale, but added, “We have to think about it.” The United States has sent mixed signals on its strategy, sparking worry in Kyiv that Ukraine could be forced into a bad deal that leaves Putin emboldened. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told NATO defense ministers earlier this week that it’s “unrealistic” to expect Ukraine’s borders to return to their pre-2014 positions and said NATO membership is not seen by the White House as part of the solution to the conflict. Ukraine demands Russia withdraw from captured territory and says it must receive NATO membership or equivalent security guarantees to prevent Moscow from attacking again. Speaking in Warsaw on Feb. 14, he again warned that America’s European NATO partners would have to do far more for their own defense and to secure a future Ukraine peace. Hegseth also argued that you “don’t have to trust” President Vladimir Putin to negotiate with Russia. Two days earlier … “Ukraine would have ‘low chance to survive’ without US support, Zelenskyy says” →

LONDON — At first whiff, it sounds repulsive: Sniff the essence of an ancient corpse.  But researchers who indulged their curiosity in the name of science found that well-preserved Egyptian mummies actually smell pretty good.  “In films and books, terrible things happen to those who smell mummified bodies,” said Cecilia Bembibre, director of research at University College London’s Institute for Sustainable Heritage. “We were surprised at the pleasantness of them.”  “Woody,” “spicy” and “sweet” were the leading descriptions from what sounded more like a wine tasting than a mummy-sniffing exercise. Floral notes were also detected, which could be from pine and juniper resins used in embalming.  The study published Thursday in the Journal of the American Chemical Society used both chemical analysis and a panel of human sniffers to evaluate the odors from nine mummies as old as 5,000 years that had been either in storage or on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.  The researchers wanted to systematically study the smell of mummies because it has long been a subject of fascination for the public and researchers alike, said Bembibre, one of the report’s authors. Archaeologists, historians, conservators and even fiction writers have devoted pages of their work to the subject — for good reason.  Scent was an important consideration in the mummification process that used oils, waxes and balms to preserve the body and its spirit for the afterlife. The practice was largely reserved for pharaohs and nobility, and pleasant smells were associated with purity and deities, while bad odors were signs of corruption and decay.  Without sampling the mummies themselves, which would be invasive, researchers from UCL and the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia were able to measure whether aromas were coming from the archaeological item, pesticides or other products used to conserve the remains, or from deterioration due to mold, bacteria or microorganisms.  “We were quite worried that we might find notes or hints of decaying bodies, which wasn’t the case,” said Matija Strlic, a chemistry professor at the University of Ljubljana. “We were specifically worried that there might be indications of microbial degradation, but that was not the case, which means that the environment in this museum is actually quite good in terms of preservation.”  Using technical instruments to measure and quantify air molecules emitted from sarcophagi to determine the state of preservation without touching the mummies “tells us potentially what social class a mummy … “Research finds ancient Egyptian mummies smell nice” →

The U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed Friday that a drone attack damaged an outer wall of the protective dome containing the remains of the damaged Chernobyl nuclear reactor in Ukraine, starting a fire. The 1986 Chernobyl nuclear accident is considered the worst in history. Ukraine blames Russia for the attack on the site located about 130 kilometers north of Kyiv, which Moscow denies. In a statement on the IAEA website, the agency’s team based at the site reported hearing an explosion at 1:50 a.m. local time. They said smoke and fire were visible from the team’s on-site dormitory. Ukrainian officials informed the team a drone struck the New Safe Confinement (NSC) structure built to prevent a radioactive release from Chernobyl’s damaged reactor and protect it from external hazards. The team reported that firefighters and vehicles arrived at the scene within minutes to begin extinguishing the blaze, which, they said, could be seen intermittently for several hours afterward. The team said it observed a breach in the outer layer of the containment structure caused when the drone exploded on impact. Ukraine’s nuclear regulatory officials Friday confirmed the outer covering of the protective dome sustained damage, and investigations are ongoing to determine the extent of the damage to the interior. The IAEA said radiation levels inside and outside the NSC building remain normal and no casualties were reported. But agency Director-General Rafael Grossi said the incident was “deeply concerning,” and said it “underlines the persistent risks to nuclear safety during the military conflict.” An explosion and fire in April 1986, at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant destroyed the reactor building and released large amounts of radiation into the atmosphere. A U.N. report said 31 people died immediately from the explosion, and while the exact number of people who died from subsequent radiation exposure is in dispute, the U.N. reports nearly 8.4 million people in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine were exposed to radiation due to the widespread radioactive fallout. Speaking to reporters Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied Russian involvement saying Russia does not conduct strikes on nuclear infrastructure. He called Ukraine’s claim’s “a provocation.” Fighting around nuclear power plants, including the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, located near the battle zones in southeastern Ukraine, has repeatedly raised fears of a nuclear catastrophe during three years of war. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and … “IAEA confirms drone attack damaged outer wall of Chernobyl dome” →

ZAGREB, CROATIA — Thirteen people suspected of illegally importing and disposing of hazardous waste have been arrested in Croatia, the European Union’s law enforcement agency said Friday.  The main suspects, two Croatian nationals, are considered high-value targets by Europol, said an agency statement. They are believed to have orchestrated the illegal hazardous waste imports from Italy, Slovenia and Germany to Croatia.  Rather than being properly treated, the waste was simply dumped and buried, Europol said. The statement added that at least 35,000 metric tons (38,580 U.S. tons) of waste were illegally disposed of resulting in a profit of at least $4.2 million.  The waste was declared as recyclable plastic waste but was “legally considered dangerous waste,” Europol said. Croatian authorities believe the criminal network also illegally buried and dumped medical waste from Croatian companies, it said.  Croatian anti-corruption authorities said in a statement of their own Friday that they have launched an investigation into 10 people and four legal entities suspected of criminal conspiracy, crimes against the environment, tax evasion and money laundering. They said they will seek to keep seven people detained, the state-run HRT television said.  The Croatian office tasked with fighting organized crime and corruption said illegal waste disposal has inflicted damage on the environment, including changes in the land configuration that affected plant and tree growth, release of toxic particles in the soil and air, and potential negative effect on people’s health.  Croatia has suffered “considerable ecological damage” and still unspecified material damage, the Office for the Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime said in a statement.  Europol said the suspects abused the infrastructures of legal businesses. They would first offer lower prices for disposal and then falsify documentation to transport their cargo to Croatia, allegedly for recycling.  Waste trafficking enables criminal networks to obtain huge profits while often causing irreparable damage to the environment, the agency said. …

The tragic deaths of Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov in a plane crash late last month in Washington have shone a spotlight on the role of Russian- or Soviet-born coaches in the world of competitive figure skating. Their influence has shaped a generation of American skaters, raising the question: Why have these coaches been so successful in the U.S.? Maxim Adams has the story. Video editor: Serge Sokolov, Anna Rice   …

Vice President JD Vance warned European allies attending the security conference in Munich, Germany, against “the threat from within,” arguing that European governments are exercising extreme censorship and have failed to adequately get a handle on “out-of-control migration.”   “The threat that I worry the most about vis a vis Europe is not Russia, it’s not China, it’s not any other external actor,” he said Friday. “What I worry about is the threat from within, the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States of America.”  Vance denounced Romania, a NATO ally, for its recent cancellation of presidential election results over evidence of Russian disinformation. “If your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising from a foreign country, then it wasn’t very strong to begin with,” he said. “I’d ask my European friends to have some perspective.”  He also appeared to voice support for right-wing parties that have been banned from joining governments in Europe, saying, “Democracy rests on the sacred principle that the voice of the people matters. There’s no room for firewalls.”  Vance said of all the pressing challenges facing Europe and the U.S. “there is nothing more pressing than migration.”   He blamed the “series of conscious decisions made by politicians all over the continent and others across the world,” and he highlighted the Thursday attack in Munich where an Afghan national drove a car into a crowd, injuring at least 30 people.  The remarks came as a surprise to the audience of leaders and top officials who were expecting Vance to focus on Ukraine and Russia. The vice president only made a passing remark on the issue.   The Trump administration is “very concerned with European security and believes that we can come to a reasonable settlement between Russia and Ukraine,” Vance said. “And we also believe that it’s important in the coming years for Europe to step up in a big way to provide for its own defense.”   Following Vance’s speech, Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius rejected Vance’s characterization of European policies.   “If I understand him correctly, he is comparing conditions in parts of Europe with those in authoritarian regions … that is not acceptable.”  Vance’s remarks are “an effort to flip the script,” on Europe’s concerns about American democracy, said Kristine Berzina, managing director of GMF Geostrategy North.  “There was shockingly no mention … “At Munich Conference, US VP Vance warns European allies of ‘threat from within’” →

ROME — Pope Francis was taken to hospital on Friday morning for tests and to continue treatment of his ongoing bronchitis, the Vatican said. “This morning, at the end of his audiences, Pope Francis was admitted to the Policlinico Agostino Gemelli for some necessary diagnostic tests and to continue his treatment for bronchitis, which is still ongoing, in a hospital environment,” it said in a statement. Francis, 88, has been pope since 2013 and has suffered from influenza and other health problems several times over the past two years. Earlier this month, Francis told pilgrims at a weekly audience that he was suffering from a “strong cold,” which the Vatican later described as bronchitis. The pope has been keeping up his daily schedule of appointments despite his illness, taking meetings at the Vatican residence where he lives. Before going to hospital on Friday, the pope had an official meeting with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. Francis suffered two falls recently at his Vatican residence, bruising his chin in December and injuring his arm in January. Rome’s Gemelli hospital, the largest in the city, has a special suite for treating popes. Francis spent nine days there in June 2023, when he had surgery to repair an abdominal hernia.  …

KYIV, UKRAINE — A Russian drone attack caused significant damage to the radiation shelter of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant overnight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday. Chernobyl was the site of the world’s worst civil nuclear catastrophe when one of its four reactors exploded in 1986. That reactor is now enveloped by a protective shelter, known as a sarcophagus, to contain the lingering radiation. The Russian drone struck the shelter of the destroyed power unit at the plant, causing a fire that has since been extinguished, he said. “As of now, radiation levels have not increased and are being constantly monitored,” Zelenskyy said, adding that an initial assessment had found significant damage. “The only country in the world that attacks such sites, occupies nuclear power plants, and wages war without any regard for the consequences is today’s Russia,” he said.  …

German voters head to the polls this month for an election that will determine who the country’s new chancellor will be. The Feb. 23 poll is a snap election, following the collapse of center-left Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition government last year. The far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, founded in 2013, appears to be gathering strength and support across the country and has emerged as a factor in the election. The party’s popularity has been fueled by dissatisfaction with the large numbers of immigrants in the country. While AfD has evolved to focus its attention on other issues, including the immediate lifting of sanctions against Russia, immigration remains its central theme. Alice Weidel, AfD’s first candidate for chancellor, is a staunch supporter of so-called “remigration,” a term used to describe the mass deportation of immigrants. Political analysts say Weidel has little chance of becoming chancellor, but as AfD’s popularity has risen, it has forced politicians to rethink their conversations and debates about immigration. AfD won its first parliamentary seats in 2017, with 12.6% of the votes.  In 2021, the party had only 10.3% of the votes.  It has supporters across the country and its politicians have been elected to 14 of Germany’s 16 state legislatures. Its emergence as a political force occurs at the same time that other far-right parties are rising in Europe, including Austria’s Freedom Party and the National Rally in France. Some information in this report came from The Associated Press.  …

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron urged Syria’s interim government to cooperate with a U.S.-led coalition fighting against extremist groups in that region as he hosted a conference Thursday on the Mideast country’s future. Macron’s comments come amid uncertainty over the United States’ commitment to the region. Thursday’s conference in Paris among European and Arab nations was the third on Syria since the repressive government of Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December and was attended by Syria’s interim foreign minister, Asaad al-Shibani. “Syria must very clearly continue to fight against all the terrorist organizations that are spreading chaos,” Macron said. “If Syria decides to offer cooperation” with the international coalition, France would support the move, he added. The Paris conference of foreign ministers and other officials from participating countries was meant to coordinate efforts to support a peaceful transition, as the new government in Damascus underlines its desire to improve relations with the West.   Integration of Kurdish-led forces Macron also called on the Syrian interim government to “fully integrate” the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into the Syrian transition, calling them “precious allies.” “I think your responsibility today is to integrate them and also to allow these forces to join in,” he said. On Thursday, Syrian organizers of a conference in Damascus to chart the country’s political future said those talks will include all segments of Syrian society except for the Kurdish-led administration in the northeast and Assad loyalists. Most of the country’s former insurgent factions have agreed to dissolve and join the new Syrian army and security services, but the Kurdish-led SDF so far has refused to do the same. SDF forces have been clashing with Turkish-backed groups in northern Syria, and the Kurds are concerned about losing political and cultural gains they have made since carving out their own enclave in the northeast during the country’s civil war. Discussions are ongoing between the SDF and the government in Damascus. Billions in aid needed More aid is crucial to achieve a peaceful reconstruction during the post-Assad transition. The country needs to rebuild housing, electricity, water and transportation infrastructure after nearly 14 years of war. The United Nations in 2017 estimated that it would cost at least $250 billion, while some experts now say the number could reach at least $400 billion. With few productive sectors and government employees making wages equivalent to about $20 per month, Syria has … “France’s Macron urges Syria’s interim government to join US-led coalition fighting extremists” →

Alexander Vinnik, a Russian national convicted of cybercrime and released by U.S. authorities as part of a prisoner swap, arrived in Moscow on Thursday and thanked President Vladimir Putin and others for arranging the exchange, state news agency RIA said. Vinnik, who pleaded guilty in May 2024 to charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, told RIA in a dispatch issued after midnight that he was at home with his family. He said he had flown on a U.S. plane that stopped in Poland and not in Turkey as his lawyer had said. Quoted by RIA, Vinnik thanked Putin, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Russian diplomats and special services, his lawyers “and especially my family.” He added: “What can I say? And I can also thank [U.S. President Donald] Trump. On the whole, without him, things would probably have been difficult.” Leonid Slutsky, head of the foreign affairs committee of Russia’s State Duma, the lower house of parliament, told the Tass news agency that Vinnik’s return home was “yet another victory for Russian diplomacy and all services and agencies associated with his liberation.” Unlike previous instances of Russians returning home after a prisoner swap, there was little fanfare around Vinnik’s arrival. Vinnik operated a cryptocurrency exchange, BTC-e, through which he was suspected of funneling $4 billion in proceeds from ransomware attacks, identity theft, drug rings and other criminal activity. He was freed by the United States from prison in return for Moscow’s release of American schoolteacher Marc Fogel, who returned home on Tuesday. …

WASHINGTON — “I will not bow to this regime,” writes Mzia Amaglobeli from pre-trial detention in the city of Batumi in Georgia. The 49-year-old journalist has been in custody since January 11 and on a hunger strike since January 12 over her detention. Amaglobeli was attending a protest where demonstrations were calling for fresh elections and objecting to the government’s suspension of Georgia’s EU accession plans. At first, police detained Amaglobeli for putting a sticker on a wall. She was released, only to be arrested later that day for slapping a police officer. Georgia’s prime minister and other government officials have said that Amaglobeli should end her hunger strike and apologize for her actions. But media watchdogs believe her arrest is connected to her journalism. Journalist previously threatened Amaglobeli is the founder of the websites Batumelebi and Netgazeti, which focus on political news, investigations and corruption. Both Amaglobeli and her media group have come under pressure and threats previously for their work. Amaglobeli’s health has declined after being on a hunger strike for a month, and she is being held in a private clinic under a doctor’s supervision, but she remains in custody. Nestan Tsetskhladze, a friend and colleague, told VOA that the journalist plans to remain on her hunger strike until March 4, when she is due to appear in court. “She is on hunger strike in protest, to show that she won’t tolerate this regime,” Tsetskhladze told VOA. “She is not going to live by this regime’s agenda. That is her goal.” Amaglobeli has also written of her position in a letter last month to colleagues that was shared with media. “Today it is me, tomorrow it could be anyone who dares to dream of a just, democratic European Georgia, untouched by Russian influence, unshaken by oppression,” wrote Amaglobeli. “I will not bow to this regime. I will not play by its rules.” Hundreds arrested The journalist is one of hundreds of people to be arrested since parliamentary elections in October resulted in nationwide protests. The country’s ruling Georgian Dream party officially won the election with around 54% of the vote, but the results were challenged by then-President Salome Zourabichvili and opposition parties, who claimed the elections were rigged. Observers, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said there were reports of voter irregularities. At the time, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, a member of Georgian Dream, called … “Jailed Georgian journalist: ‘I will not bow to this regime’” →

PENTAGON — U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has called for NATO’s European members to increase their role in the defense of Europe as the United States focuses on defending the alliance’s Pacific flank. It is a move that he says will likely require European allies to significantly increase defense spending from 2% of GDP to about 5% of GDP. “We can talk all we want about values. Values are important, but you can’t shoot values, you can’t shoot flags, and you can’t shoot strong speeches. There is no replacement for hard power,” Hegseth told reporters on Thursday at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Last year, NATO’s European allies collectively spent 2% of their GDP, amounting to about $380 billion, for the first time after setting a 2% defense spending goal in 2014. The U.S. currently spends about 3.5% of its GDP on defense. Canada, the other non-European NATO ally, currently spends about 1.4% of its GDP on defense. “NATO is a great alliance, the most successful defense alliance in history, but to endure for the future, our partners must do far more for Europe’s defense,” Hegseth said. He emphasized that deterrence of Chinese aggression “in the Pacific is one that really can only be led by the United States.” He said the U.S. does not seek conflict with China, nor does it feel that conflict with China is inevitable, but he contended the administration must work with allies to ensure deterrence in the Indo-Pacific is “hard power deterrence, not just reputational.” Russia-Ukraine war On Wednesday, Hegseth said keeping Ukraine’s pre-invasion boundaries is an “unrealistic objective” in its war against Russian aggression, as was the expectation that Ukraine would join NATO. He advocated for a negotiated end to the war with security guarantees backed by European and non-European troops that would not include U.S. forces. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Ukraine’s potential membership in NATO and whether it should concede any territory should not be decided before peace talks start, referring to Hegseth’s comments as “concessions” made by the United States. “Vladimir Putin responds to strength,” Hegseth said on Thursday when asked whether the U.S. was decreasing Ukraine’s leverage. “No one’s going to get everything that they want, understanding who committed the aggression in the first place,” he added, referring to Putin. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reiterated his support for higher defense spending and appeared to defend Hegseth’s comments on … “Pentagon chief calls on NATO partners to increase role in Europe’s defense” →

Kurds in Turkey are expecting their imprisoned leader to announce a ceasefire soon, ending decades of war between Kurdish rebels and the Turkish government. But Turkey’s president has not made clear what terms he’s willing to accept. Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul. …

At this week’s Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, world leaders and technologists gathered to discuss the rapidly evolving field of generative artificial intelligence. Many are eager to join the global AI race, while others are proceeding with caution. Tina Trinh reports. …

DACHAU, GERMANY — U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited the Dachau concentration camp memorial on Thursday, walking the solemn halls with a group that included a Holocaust survivor once held at the site of so much suffering and mass murder and experiencing firsthand a powerful symbol of World War II. The tour came amid an ongoing war in Europe in which Vance is serving as a key conduit for the Trump administration. The vice president on Friday has critical talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the three-year Russia-Ukraine conflict. A light rain and sleet mix fell as the vice president and his wife, Usha Vance, spoke to a group of dignitaries near one of the concentration camp’s gates. The couple then listened intently to details about the camp from its director and other museum officials. Among those participating was Abba Naor, a Holocaust survivor who was held at Dachau. The second couple, holding hands, eventually moved inside and to a long concrete room in front of a large map plotting concentration camps. The area was Dachau’s administrative room. They next saw the intake room, where those interred arrived at the camp. It included a series of museum cases filled with personal belongings of those who were held there, like watches and government ID cards. “That’s where you started?” Vance said to Naor. Both Joe Biden, during the administration of President Barack Obama, and Mike Pence, in Trump’s first term, also visited the Dachau memorial as vice presidents. Vance laid a wreath with a red, white and blue ribbon stenciled with “We remember” and “United States of America” embossed in gold lettering at a large sculpture known as the International Monument. Inaugurated in 1968, the monument was designed by Nandor Glid, who was persecuted as a Jew by the Nazis in his home country Yugoslavia and joined the resistance to Nazi occupation forces. On Friday, Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, are set to sit down with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. They’ll discuss Trump’s intensifying push for Ukraine and Russia to begin negotiations to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II. Talk of the current conflict followed Vance getting a firsthand look at the memorial demonstrating Nazis’ World War II-era atrocities and the U.S. and Western allies’ slowness to take decisive action to confront Adolf Hitler and the rise of his violent nationalist ideology. … “Vance visits Dachau concentration camp ahead of Zelenskyy meeting” →

Ukraine and the United States are considering a crucial minerals deal at this week’s Munich Security Conference, according to officials from the two countries. After meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described the proposed agreement as a potential “long-term security shield” for Ukraine when its war with Russia comes to an end. Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine had received the first draft of the agreement and expressed hope that a final deal could be reached in Munich. Ukraine aims to secure continued U.S. support as it tries to stand strong against the ongoing Russian invasion. U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has stated his desire to strike a deal for Ukraine’s rare earth mineral resources in return for continued U.S. backing of the Ukrainian war effort. “I told them (Ukraine) that I want the equivalent [of] like $500 billion worth of rare earth,” Trump told Fox News in an interview aired Monday. Strategic resources in shifting global landscape Global competition for critical raw materials essential for industry has intensified in recent years. CRMs in demand include uranium, titanium, lithium, graphite, nickel and aluminum, as well as rare earth minerals used in an array of high-tech devices. Currently, China is the world’s top supplier of rare earth minerals. According to a recent World Economic Forum report, China supplies about 40% of the European Union’s demand for those resources. Other significant suppliers include Australia, South Africa, Canada and Brazil. The United States and the European Union have worked for years to reduce their reliance on China for the minerals. That’s where Ukraine comes in. The United States maintains a list of 50 critical raw materials, and Ukraine possesses at least 22 of the elements, according to Serhii Voitsehovskyi, a board member of Ukrainian mining investment company BGV. That includes significant deposits of rare earth materials, although the minerals are so far mostly untapped due to the war and a lack of sufficient geological data. Proven reserves include some of the world’s largest deposits of graphite, uranium, titanium and lithium — materials essential for many industries, including renewable energy and defense. “We have the largest lithium deposits in Europe and significant uranium reserves, which are becoming increasingly valuable as nuclear energy experiences a global resurgence,” Voitsehovskyi said. Roman Opimakh, former general director of the Ukrainian Geological Survey, said that the U.S. has become increasingly desperate for reliable sources of CRMs. … “Ukraine, US weigh critical minerals agreement” →

Northern Europe’s Baltic Sea is bordered by nations including Germany, Russia and Latvia. Many critical cables and pipelines cross the seafloor. But with tensions rising in the region, NATO is looking for ways to ensure all that infrastructure stays safe. Vladislavs Andrejevs has more in this story, narrated by Anna Rice. (Produced by: Vladislavs Andrejevs, Anna Rice ) …

Brussles — Thousands of Belgians took to the streets on Thursday in protest over the new government’s planned pension reforms in the first day of a multi-day strike that halted all air traffic in the country.  Brussels airport canceled 430 flights on Thursday, a spokesperson said, adding that the disruption to the air traffic sector would last just one day.  Protesters held signs with slogans such as “We’re not lemons,” and some displayed plaques featuring Latin phrases, a nod to new Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s tendency to include Latin quotes whenever possible.  The strike was also expected to disrupt public transport and postal services, with firefighters and military personnel joining the protests as well.  The planned pension reform rewards those who work past retirement age, with 35 years of service, while early retirees without 35 years, face a penalty. The new system is less favorable for lower-income earners compared to the previous one, which provided a lump sum based on career length.  Flemish nationalist Bart De Wever’s government was sworn in on Feb. 3, after eight months of negotiations that resulted in a five-party coalition including right-wing, centrist, and socialist party, Vooruit.   The socialist union had warned that a strike would be called if Vooruit joined the predominantly center-right government. …

BERLIN — A car was driven into a crowd in Munich, Germany on Thursday, injuring at least 28 people. Police said authorities detained the driver, and during the arrest fired a shot at the vehicle. They identified the suspect as a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker. The incident took place as members of a service workers’ union held a demonstration. Bavarian Governor Markus Soder told reporters that what happened appeared to be an attack. Authorities said several of the people hurt had serious injuries. The city is due to host the Munich Security Conference beginning Friday. Conference organizers issued a statement saying they were “deeply saddened” by the incident. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.   …

Ukrainian officials said Thursday a Russian drone attack injured one person and damaged port infrastructure in the southern region of Odesa. Odesa Governor Oleh Kiper said the attack hit the Izmail area, which is located along the Danube River. Close to the same area, Romania’s Ministry of National Defense said Thursday its systems detected a drone crossing into Romanian airspace before going into Ukraine. The ministry said in a statement it “strongly condemns these attacks conducted by the Russian Federation against certain Ukrainian civilian infrastructure facilities and elements, which are unjustified and severely breaching the norms of international law.” Moldova, which shares borders with Ukraine and Romania in the same region, reported Thursday that two Russian drones exploded on its soil. Moldovan President Maia Sandu said the incident put the lives of people in her country as risk. “Russia respects no borders, attacks civilians, spreads terror,” Sandu said on X. “Its war on Ukraine is criminal. Leave us, peaceful nations, alone.” Ukraine’s military said Thursday it shot down 85 of the 140 total drones that Russian forces launched overnight. The intercepts took place over the Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Poltava and Sumy regions, the military said. Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram that drone, artillery and missile attacks damaged 10 houses, along with a business, powerlines and a gas pipeline. Russia’s Defense Ministry said Thursday it destroyed 83 Ukrainian drones, mostly in regions along the Russia-Ukraine border. Nearly half of the drones were shot down over the Bryansk region, where an official said there were no reports of damage or casualties. Voronezh Governor Alexander Gusev said the attacks damaged several houses in his region. Some information for this report came from Reuters.  …

LONDON — Hundreds of world leaders and delegates are set to attend the Munich Security Conference in Germany this weekend, with conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo high on the agenda, alongside simmering tensions in the Indo-Pacific region. It’s the first major global summit for the new administration in Washington under President Donald Trump and comes amid speculation that his America First agenda could presage significant changes in U.S. foreign policy. US delegation The U.S. delegation includes Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “We are very happy that we will have a strong representation of both the administration of the new American government there, as well as representation from Congress,” said conference chairman Christoph Heusgen. “And so, the American point of view will also be presented on stage, as will the European point of view, and that of other regions. And then, and that is what Munich stands for, there will be a dialogue, a discussion about the many issues at hand,” Heusgen told Reuters. Vance is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Munich. Ukraine’s war against Russia’s full-scale invasion is about to enter its fourth year. Zelenskyy said this week he shared a “common vision” with the Trump administration. “Of course, there may be different opinions, but a common vision of the main things — of how to stop [Russian President Vladimir] Putin and how to give guarantees of security to Ukraine and Ukrainians,” Zelenskyy told reporters on Monday. ‘Unrealistic’ However, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that American troops would not be deployed to Ukraine following any ceasefire deal with Russia and ruled out NATO membership for Kyiv. He also described Ukraine’s hopes to return to its pre-2014 borders with Russia as unrealistic. “European allies must lead from the front,” Hegseth told reporters in Brussels following a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group. President Trump has made clear he wants a quick end to the war but it’s not clear how that might be achieved. Trump announced Wednesday he and Putin agreed in a phone call to “immediately” begin negotiations with Ukraine to bring an end to the nearly three-year-conflict. NATO allies Nevertheless, U.S. allies sense a change in tone from the president since his inauguration last month, said Charles Grant, director of the Center for European Reform, a London-based research group. “Though … “US allies seek clarity on Ukraine support at Munich Security Conference” →

Hundreds of world leaders and delegates are set to attend the Munich Security Conference this weekend — with conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, and simmering tensions in the Indo-Pacific, on the agenda. As Henry Ridgwell reports, all eyes will be on the approach of the U.S. delegation under the new administration of President Donald Trump. …

Multiple NATO allies expressed support Thursday for boosting defense spending, while highlighting the need for Ukraine and other European nations to be a part of any negotiated end to Russia’s war against Ukraine. The comments came as NATO defense ministers gathered in Brussels for a meeting focused on defense spending targets, boosting industrial capacity and support for Ukraine. The meeting is taking place amid a U.S. push for NATO allies to commit more of their domestic budgets to defense, and with U.S. President Donald Trump signaling he will soon hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “There can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine. And Ukraine’s voice must be at the heart of any talks,” British Defense Secretary John Healey told reporters just ahead of the ministerial. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Ukraine’s potential membership in NATO and whether it should concede any territory should not be decided before peace talks start. Pistorius told reporters he regretted what he called concessions made by the United States ahead of any potential negotiations, referencing comments Wednesday by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth who said Ukraine keeping its pre-invasion boundaries is an “unrealistic objective.” Hegseth advocated for a negotiated end to the war with security guarantees backed by European and non-European troops that are deployed under a non-NATO mission. He ruled out deploying U.S. troops to Ukraine. Luxembourg’s Defense Minister Yuriko Backes told reporters Thursday that all allies need to continue to support Ukraine. “There are talks about peace plans. Nothing about Ukraine should be decided without Ukraine at the table. Nothing about European security should be decided without Europeans at the table,” Backes said. Hegseth said Thursday that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine “is an urgent, real threat to the continent” and should be a “wake-up call when it comes to defense spending.” He said targets of allies spending 2% of their gross domestic product on defense is not enough, and that pushing higher – even as much as 5% — is “critical.” NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte reiterated his support for higher defense spending. “It’s only fair, it’s only sensible,” he told reporters Thursday. Rutte said NATO allies are also not producing enough in terms of military production, saying alliance members need to get more output from their huge industrial base in order to keep up with China, Russia and others. Following Thursday’s NATO ministerial, Hegseth heads to Poland for what … “NATO defense ministers to discuss military spending, Ukraine aid” →