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US President Donald Trump on Thursday made a range of energy and defense agreements with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his first visit to the White House in Trump’s second term. But the gains were offset by Trump’s threat to impose reciprocal tariffs on trading partners, something India sought to avoid. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House. …
The Trump administration is moving quickly with its mass deportation plans by sending some migrants to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and rapidly deporting others. VOA’s immigration reporter Aline Barros brings us this story. …
President Donald Trump’s immigration policy has mainly been focused on migrants trying to cross into the US at its border with Mexico, some having made the perilous trek from as far as South America. Out in the western Pacific Ocean, some Chinese are taking an equally dangerous route into the US VOA’s Yu Yao and Jiu Dao have their story, narrated by Elizabeth Lee. …
Technology company Google recently broke with its long-standing policy against developing AI weapons. VOA’s Matt Dibble has more from Silicon Valley. …
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. …
WASHINGTON — The Senate Judiciary Committee voted along party lines on Thursday to advance the nomination of Kash Patel, Donald Trump’s pick for FBI director, pushing past Democratic concerns that he would operate as a loyalist for the president and target perceived adversaries of the White House. The committee voted 12-10 to send the nomination to the Republican-controlled Senate for full consideration. It was not immediately clear when the final confirmation vote will occur, but so far even nominees once seen as having uncertain prospects — including new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence — have been able to marshal sufficient support from Republicans eager to fall in line with Trump’s agenda. Patel has raised alarm for his lack of management experience compared to other FBI directors and because of a vast catalog of incendiary past statements, which include calling investigators who scrutinized Trump “government gangsters” and describing at least some defendants charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S Capitol as “political prisoners.” At his confirmation hearing last month, Patel said Democrats were taking some of his comments out of context or misunderstanding the broader point that he was trying to make, such as when he proposed shutting down the FBI headquarters in Washington and turning it into a museum for the so-called “deep state.” And Patel denied the idea that a list in his book of government officials, who he said were part of a “deep state,” amounted to an “enemies list,” calling that a “total mischaracterization.” Patel, who was selected by Trump in November to replace Christopher Wray as FBI director, would inherit an agency riven by turmoil amid the recent forced departures of a group of senior executives and by a highly unusual Justice Department demand for the names of all agents who participated in investigations related to Jan. 6. A letter this week from Senator Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the committee, cited undisclosed sources in saying that Patel was covertly involved in that process despite telling the panel at his confirmation hearing that he was unaware of any plans to fire agents. A Patel spokeswoman called the allegations “gossip” aimed at pushing what she said was a “false narrative.” Democrats portrayed Patel as a dangerous and inexperienced loyalist who would abuse the FBI’s law enforcement powers at a time when the country is facing an escalated … “Senate panel advances nomination of Kash Patel, Trump’s pick to lead FBI” →
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as President Donald Trump’s health secretary, putting the prominent vaccine skeptic in control of $1.7 trillion in federal spending, vaccine recommendations and food safety as well as health insurance programs for roughly half the country. Republicans fell in line behind Trump despite hesitancy over Kennedy’s views on vaccines, voting 52-48 to elevate the scion of one of America’s most storied political — and Democratic — families to secretary of the Health and Human Services Department. Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, who had polio as a child, was the only “no” vote among Republicans, mirroring his stands against Trump’s picks for the Pentagon chief and director of national intelligence. All Democrats opposed Kennedy. The GOP has largely embraced Kennedy’s vision to “Make America Healthy Again” by directing the public health agencies to focus on chronic diseases such as obesity. Kennedy, 71, whose name and family tragedies have put him in the national spotlight since he was a child, has earned a formidable following with his populist and sometimes extreme views on food, chemicals and vaccines. His audience only grew during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Kennedy devoted much of his time to a nonprofit that sued vaccine makers and harnessed social media campaigns to erode trust in vaccines as well as the government agencies that promote them. With Trump’s backing, Kennedy insisted he was “uniquely positioned” to revive trust in those public health agencies, which include the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes for Health. Last week, Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican, said he hoped Kennedy “goes wild” in reining in health care costs and improving Americans’ health. But before agreeing to support Kennedy, potential holdout Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican a doctor who leads the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, required assurances that Kennedy would not make changes to existing vaccine recommendations. During Senate hearings, Democrats tried to prod Kennedy to deny a long-discredited theory that vaccines cause autism. Some lawmakers also raised alarms about Kennedy financially benefiting from changing vaccine guidelines or weakening federal lawsuit protections against vaccine makers. Kennedy made more than $850,000 last year from an arrangement referring clients to a law firm that has sued the makers of Gardasil, a human papillomavirus vaccine that protects against cervical cancer. If confirmed as health secretary, he promised to … “Senate confirms Kennedy for top US health post after close vote” →
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. …
Seoul — As a high school junior in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, Daneel Kutsenko never gave much thought to China. Last month, though, as the U.S. government prepared to ban TikTok – citing national security concerns about its Chinese ownership – Kutsenko downloaded RedNote, another Chinese video-sharing app, which he felt gave him a new perspective on China. “It just seems like people who live their life and have fun,” Kutsenko told VOA of RedNote, which reportedly attracted hundreds of thousands of U.S. users in the leadup to the now-paused TikTok ban. Kutsenko’s move is part of a larger trend. Even as U.S. policymakers grow louder in their warnings about Chinese-owned apps, they have become a central part of American life. TikTok, owned by China’s ByteDance, boasts 170 million U.S. users. China’s AI chatbot DeepSeek surged to the top of Apple’s App Store rankings, including those in the United States, for several days after its release last month. Another major shift has come in online shopping, where Americans are flocking to digital Chinese marketplaces such as Temu and Shein in search of ultra-low prices on clothes, home goods, and other items. According to a 2024 survey by Omnisend, an e-commerce marketing company, 70% of Americans shopped on Chinese platforms during the past year, with 20% doing so at least once a week. Multifaceted threat U.S. officials warn that Chinese apps pose a broad range of threats – whether to national security, privacy, human rights, or the economy. TikTok has been the biggest target. Members of Congress attempting to ban the app cited concerns that China’s government could use TikTok as an intelligence-gathering tool or manipulate its algorithms to push narratives favorable to Beijing. Meanwhile, Chinese commerce apps face scrutiny for their rock-bottom prices, which raise concerns about ethical sourcing and potential links to forced labor, Sari Arho Havrén, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based research organization, said in an email conversation with VOA. “It raises questions of how sustainably these products are made,” Havrén, who focuses on China’s foreign policy and great power competition, said. Moreover, he said, “the pricing simply kills local manufacturers and businesses.” Many U.S. policymakers also warn Chinese apps pose greater privacy risks, since Chinese law requires companies to share data with the government on request. ‘Curiosity and defiance’ Still, a growing number of Americans appear unfazed. Many young people in … “Chinese apps face scrutiny in US but users keep scrolling “ →
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” →
Russia occupies and uses Europe’s largest nuclear power plant for military demands. Moscow continues attacks on Ukraine electric stations that keep country’s nuclear power plants running. …
Russia occupies and uses Europe’s largest nuclear power plant for military demands. Moscow continues attacks on Ukraine electric stations that keep country’s nuclear power plants running. …
NEW DELHI — U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for talks Thursday at the White House. Officials in New Delhi expressed optimism Modi’s visit will herald a renewed and substantive partnership. However, analysts said there will be contentious issues to navigate on trade and immigration, which are among Trump’s top priorities. Underlining that Modi will be meeting Trump within weeks of his taking office, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri – the ministry’s top civil servant — said India-U.S. ties are solid and that “this has been one of our strongest international partnerships.” Trade is important for both countries and India has taken steps to demonstrate that it is ready to address concerns of Trump, who has named India among countries that are “very big tariff abusers.” In a phone conversation with Modi last month, Trump called for moving toward a fair bilateral trading relationship. Kevin Hassett, director of the White House National Economic Council, repeated such concerns on Monday. “India has enormously high” tariffs that lock out imports, he said in an interview with CNBC. New Delhi, which wants to avoid trade tensions with the U.S., announced earlier this month that it would lower import duties on some items that will benefit American exports such as high-end motorcycles and cars. It also may offer other concessions that could help American goods gain Indian market access and boost energy imports from the U.S., analysts say. “New Delhi thought it would take a first step and try to resolve differences on trade. But, certainly, as a great negotiator and bargainer, he [Trump] will ask for more,” said Chintamani Mahapatra, founder of the Kalinga School of Indo Pacific Studies. “India also bargains very well. So, somehow, we will try to make a compromise that will benefit both.” For India, the stakes are high — the United States is its largest trading partner. Bilateral trade between the two countries was $118 billion, with an Indian surplus of about $32 billion in 2023. India has not been affected so far by Trump’s tariff impositions – the latest 25% tariffs he imposed on steel and aluminum imports will have an only marginal affect on India, as New Delhi is a small exporter of steel to the U.S., according to Indian officials. Strengthening security and defense ties with the U.S., Indian officials say will also be discussed in Washington. According to analysts that could … “Modi, Trump to meet with focus on trade, immigration, strategic ties” →
Following a successful prisoner swap with Russia, U.S. President Donald Trump launched a multifront diplomatic blitz Wednesday to end the Ukraine conflict, saying he would meet with Russia’s leader soon and dispatching a vice president-led team to meet with Ukraine’s leader on Friday. VOA White House correspondent Anita Powell catches up on the latest, from Washington. …