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NEW NATO allies are considering including contributions to Ukraine’s defense in the new 5% of GDP defense spending target, according to the draft commmuniqué for the summit in The Hague later this month. Currently only contributions through NATO trust funds counted www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

submitted 8 hours ago • 1 comment

“We’re all on the eastern flank now,” says NATO SecGen Rutte at @chathamhouse.org, arguing that Russia could be able to use force against NATO in 5 years. That’s why, he stresses, alliance leaders must agree to invest 5% of GDP on defense & boost industrial production m.youtube.com/watch?v=7GKa...

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

NATO needs a 400% increase in air & missile capability, Secretary General Rutte will say in a speech at @chathamhouse.org. “Wishful thinking will not keep us safe,” he’ll warn ahead of a summit where the alliance is likely to increase its defense spending target to 5% of GDP

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

Another day, another email from Russia's fake news factory. If you want an insight into where Russia's strategic interests are at the moment, we've received a dozen emails like this about the President of Moldova since April 21st, and none before. Seems someone got their orders in April.

submitted 20 days ago • 12 comments

Germany’s 45th Armoured Brigade, the country’s 1st permanent deployment abroad since WWII, is part of NATO’s deterrence and defence on the eastern flank. This would have been unthinkable before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine & is a direct response to it.

submitted 19 days ago • 1 comment

The EU is stepping in to fund RFE/RL after the Trump administration pulled the plug. RFE/RL provides regular, detailed and accurate coverage of regions, including the Caucasus and the Balkans, that are sometimes overlooked

submitted 21 days ago • 1 comment

What did Nicușor Dan’s 9-year old daughter tell him when he said he would run for President of Romania? find out in this @politico.com portrait of the common sense candidate who bucked the trend of populism. @timross1.bsky.social @andreipopoviciu.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/nicu...

submitted 21 days ago • 0 comments

Russia continues to refuse to agree to a full ceasefire in Ukraine; Ukraine will not withdraw troops from the territories it controls, President Volodymyr Zelensky said; and more.

submitted 22 days ago • 11 comments

Nicușor Dan has been elected President. Romania has decided to continue its steady course as part of the Euro-Atlantic family, to go forward not backwards. Jubilant crowds in central Bucharest chant, “Russia, Russia, don’t forget, Romania is not yours!” 🇷🇴 🗳️

submitted 23 days ago • 2 comments

The President of the Republic of Moldova, Maia Sandu, is the 1st international leader to congratulate Nicușor Dan on his election as President of Romania. About 1 million Moldovans also hold Romanian passports & their votes played a key role in this stunning victory 🇷🇴 🇲🇩

submitted 23 days ago • 1 comment

BREAKING Two exit polls show a clear win for pro-Western Nicușor Dan over ultranationalist George Simion in Romania’s presidential elections.

submitted 23 days ago • 4 comments

NEW Secretary General Mark Rutte confirms that NATO leaders will issue a defense investment plan (not just a pledge) at next month’s summit in The Hague including both core defense capabilities & infrastructure/resilience.He didn’t confirm figures but they’re likely to be 3.5%+1.5%=5% of GDP by 2032

submitted 27 days ago • 2 comments

High stakes in Romania’s presidential election on Sunday. While independent Nicușor Dan wld hold the country’s pro-Western course, ultranationalist George Simion wld be a disruptive figure at the EU & NATO, especially on support for Ukraine. My take in @politico.eu www.politico.eu/article/geor...

submitted 27 days ago • 0 comments

Polish officials say a massive fire that destroyed a large shopping center in Warsaw last year was the result of arson ordered by Russian intelligence services.

submitted 30 days ago • 13 comments

Russia’s orthodox church is converting Americans to the Kremlin’s view of the world. Some converts have hundreds of thousands of followers online & push narratives that Russia is the world’s last bastion of “true”Christianity. Hear @lucyaash.bsky.social podcast from Texas 🇺🇸

submitted 30 days ago • 0 comments

Pope Leo XIV condemns Russia’s war on Ukraine as “a true invasion, imperialist in nature” & calls for greater moral clarity, stressing that “some leaders in our countries still avoid acknowledging the evil of what is happening there.” united24media.com/latest-news/...

submitted 31 days ago • 4 comments

🛢🇷🇺📉 The Russian oil price in rubles has hit a two-year low, 40% below the budgeted level. Due to the drop in oil prices, Russian Finance Ministry has more than tripled its expected budget deficit this year to 1.7% of GDP, - Reuters

submitted 36 days ago • 6 comments

Romania faces a stark choice between an ultranationalist & a pro-Western candidate in the 2nd round of the presidential elections. But how did George Simion become a right-wing “Messiah” among Romanians abroad? See this @politico.com overview including my take www.politico.eu/article/roma...

submitted 36 days ago • 0 comments

Romania presidential elections rerun: partial results from 70% of polling stations show ultra-nationalist Simion leading with 40%, with pro-Western Antonescu and Dan vying to join him in the 2nd round on 15 May. But votes are still being counted in big cities & Romanians abroad, so all to play for.

submitted 37 days ago • 4 comments

submitted 40 days ago • 0 comments

@RSF.org annual press freedom ranking is out today, Norway is nr 1. Estonia is nr 2 in press freedom in the world. JD Vance attacked Europe over freedom of expression, yet all of Europe is far ahead of the US, which came in at nr 57 between Sierra Leone and Gabon pressgazette.co.uk/news/rsf-mov...

submitted 40 days ago • 7 comments

New from @liliebayer.bsky.social and me: NATO chief Mark Rutte has proposed that alliance members agree a new defence spending goal of 3.5% of GDP and a further 1.5% on other defence-related items to meet Donald Trump’s demand for a 5% target. www.reuters.com/world/nato-c...

submitted 39 days ago • 5 comments

“Weakness is an invitation to aggression.” My interview w/NZZ on why all European countries - including neutral ones like Switzerland - must continue to support Ukraine against Russia’s illegal aggression & strengthen our own defences in a dangerous world.

submitted 40 days ago • 0 comments

Ukraine and the US have signed an agreement to create a Reconstruction Investment Fund. The fund will be based on 50/50 partnership, ensuring full Ukrainian control over resources. The agreement avoids any debt obligations, protects national ownership, and aligns with Ukraine’s EU integration goals

submitted 41 days ago • 6 comments

“It was madness.” Romania returns to the polls this weekend after last year’s presidential elections were cancelled amid allegations of Russian interference & suspicious social media campaigns. The BBC spoke to some of the TikTok influencers involved 🤳🏿 www.bbc.com/articles/cqx...

submitted 41 days ago • 0 comments

The US & Ukraine are expected to sign a minerals deal on Wednesday after a breakthrough in months-long negotiations. As per @financialtimes.com Kyiv has secured the concession that only future aid will count as 🇺🇸 contributions to the deal.

submitted 42 days ago • 0 comments

⚡ Independent outlet Mediazona and BBC Russian have confirmed 104,763 Russian troops killed in Ukraine using verified public sources.

submitted 42 days ago • 3 comments

Viktoriia Roshchyna's, a Ukrainian journalist, was killed in a Russian prison. Forensic experts found Roschyna’s neck bruised, burn marks on her feet, a broken rib & signs of electric shock. Her brain, eyes, and parts of trachea had been removed. www.washingtonpost.com/world/intera...

submitted 42 days ago • 2 comments

Marking the 70th anniversary of Germany’s accession to NATO, President Steinmeier is expected to say that Germany plays a key role in NATO and a badly equipped 🇩🇪 is today a greater danger for Europe than a strongly equipped 🇩🇪

submitted 44 days ago • 1 comment

European peace plan for Ukraine key points via @reuters.com: territorial issues to be discussed only after full & unconditional ceasefire, ceasefire monitoring led by the US, robust security guarantees including by 🇺🇸, no restrictions on friendly forces presence. www.reuters.com/world/ukrain...

submitted 47 days ago • 1 comment

Ukraine gets IT equipment for military from Luxembourg and Iceland worth $2.3 mn The shipment included over 3,000 access points, 500 routers, 460 solar chargers, and hundreds of phones for military communications upgrades. euromaidanpress.com/2025/04/22/u...

submitted 49 days ago • 1 comment

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is visiting Odesa, in a sign of continued strong support to Ukraine.

submitted 56 days ago • 2 comments

🇺🇦🇺🇸 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited Donald #Trump to visit his war-ravaged country and witness the destruction wrought by #Russia, after Sunday’s ballistic missile attack that killed at least 34 people in Sumy. www.politico.eu/article/volo... #usa #ukraine

submitted 58 days ago • 1 comment

"China Halts Critical Exports as Trade War Intensifies - Beijing has suspended exports of certain rare earth minerals and magnets that are crucial for the world’s car, semiconductor and aerospace industries." @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2025/04/13/b...

submitted 58 days ago • 0 comments