Samurai or Kamikaze? Japan’s rearmament and insecurity in the name of security
As the 80th anniversary of Japan’s capitulation is approaching, a strange and unsettling ritual is unfolding in the East.
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World
Latest reporting and analysis on world.
One choice for Europe: Defend Ukraine with your own blood or appease Russia
This week’s acrimonious breakup of the latest ceasefire talks between Russia and Ukraine has for the moment forestalled Europe’s quaking nightmare: That the…
Is there any hope Europe can learn the Art of the Deal against China?
The horror with which foreign ministries across Europe greeted President Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland shows us how far European diplomats are from understanding,…
‘We’re out of ammo for Ukraine,’ says German defence minister
"There is nothing left in the stockpiles that can be provided to Ukraine," says German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.
US flags alleged China-linked NGOs amid growing influence battle with Beijing
The US State Department has transmitted a report to Congress alleging that several US-based non-profit organisations may be linked, directly or indirectly, to Chinese…
Italian authorities question suspected ‘weekend sniper’ in Bosnia war probe
Italian authorities continue to investigate the so-called “weekend snipers”, an alleged international network that during the 1990s organised “tourist hunting…
Despite aging population, Poland plans to have an army of 500,000
Poland plans to establish a major force of reservists in its efforts to build an army of 500,000 potentially combat ready personnel.
US urges new three-way nuclear deal with Russia and China
The US has urged three-way talks with Russia and China to set new limits on nuclear weapons after the last treaty between Washington and Moscow expired.
New START is dead — good riddance
Since 1972, the United States has always had some sort of ongoing bilateral nuclear treaty with the Soviet Union and its successor state, the Russian Federation.
Russian war bloggers report Starlink outage on Ukraine front
Russian military bloggers have reported a sweeping outage of Starlink internet terminals across the Ukraine front.
How might a functional ‘M12’ grouping of middle powers look like?
As world order frays and old alliances falter, the search is on for new solutions to stabilise the international system while preserving at least some of the principles…
Losing faith: Poles’ trust in alliance with US evaporating, survey shows
Most Poles no longer trust the US as a reliable ally, according to the latest poll.
Belgian PM says US showing ‘lack of respect’ to European allies
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has reiterated his strong grievances over what he describes as the US' "clear lack of respect" towards its European partners…
Polish minister Sikorski accuses Musk of supporting ‘war crimes’
Poland’s foreign minister Radosław Sikorski has accused Elon Musk, the US tech billionaire owner of SpaceX, of "making money from war crimes".
Polish President uses Holocaust Memorial Day to call for German reparations
Polish President Karol Nawrocki, speaking in Auschwitz on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, repeated his demand for Germany to pay reparations to Poland for…
No more disruption, NATO must evolve the alliance with dignity
In this space last week I recounted with a mixture of sadness and amusement the farce of Greenland that had already almost reached Monty Python proportions.
Meloni condemns Trump over comments on NATO troops in Afghanistan
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has sharply criticised US President Donald Trump following remarks suggesting NATO allies “fell behind” or stayed “a…
Greenland attack talk turned Europeans against Trump, poll finds
US President Donald Trump's Greenland threats have turned Europeans against his country, according to one poll.
Italy holds back on Trump’s Gaza peace plan
Italy will not join US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace for Gaza, at least for the time being.
Unity? Bulgaria doesn’t care about Greenland, Spain doesn’t care about Estonia
Europe’s leadership, particularly western and north-central Europeans, made two arguments when faced with President Donald Trump’s move to annex Greenland: That,…
US cuts NATO staff roles as Trump targets ‘Arctic security’
The US Government has formally notified European allies of its decision to eliminate approximately 200 personnel positions from several key NATO command centres.
‘Unhappy slaves’: Belgian PM says Trump has gone too far with Greenland threats
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said the US is crossing read lines in its handling of the Greenland issue and that it could herald the end of an era.
Updated: Renault to start long-range military drone production at two plants
French automobile maker Renault is reportedly starting production of long-range drones for military use at two of its plants in France.
Neither alive, nor dead, but collateral damage of the Ukraine war: The seafarer
The crews on board the world’s merchant fleet are the ghosts of world trade: Unseen, largely unloved and inhabiting a homeless netherworld the rest of us will…
UK union leader caught fraternising with ‘anti-fascist’ Russians in occupied Ukraine
The leader of Britain’s biggest railway trade union joined pro-Russian chants and posed with a Communist Party flag during a visit to occupied parts of Ukraine…
EU weighs whether to label Iran’s Revolutionary Guard a terrorist group
The European Union is considering adding the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Pasdaran, to its list of terrorist organisations.
Polish President Nawrocki tells Europe to stay out of Greenland issue
Poland’s President Karol Nawrocki has distanced himself from European leaders who have supported Denmark in its dispute with US President Donald Trump over the…
Trump’s death-blow to Iranian regime would be splendid and uplifting
As this is written, I continue to watch my preferred American news channel in hopes of hearing of the arrival in the Iranian airspace of the US Air Force and Naval…
Ukraine ambassador: Europe is stepping up but US support still crucial
Ukraine’s ambassador to the European Union said European support for Kyiv had intensified but warned it still could not replace the US military role in ending…
The Danes protecting Greenland: They must learn from de Gaulle
“May you live in interesting times!” was a famous sentence a century ago.